Rescue Me
by klarolineepiclove
Summary: Caroline Forbes is returning to Mystic Falls for the first time in 5 years. She had only one task: stay long enough for her best friend, Stefan's wedding and then get out of dodge. But whether it comes in the form of jealous ex's, meddling siblings, or the handsome mysterious brother of the bride-to-be, she's realizing that some plans don't always go according to plan. AU/AH
1. Chapter 1

_**Rescue Me**_

**_Caroline Forbes is returning to Mystic Falls for the first time in 5 years. She had only one task: stay long enough for her best friend, Stefan's wedding and then get out of dodge. But whether it comes in the form of jealous ex's, meddling siblings, or the handsome mysterious brother of the bride-to-be, she's realizing that some plans don't always go according to plan. AU/AH Klaroline, Stebekah, bits of Delena and Stelena_**

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The barren streets leading into Mystic Falls hadn't changed. Not a single bit.

Caroline Forbes sighed as she adjusted the sunglasses on her face, her lips pursed in discontent as she let her eyes scan the countryside. Her fingers were tapping an uneven rhythm against the steering wheel, her blonde curls swirling around her face as she hit the button on the door panel, the window sliding down an inch.

The illuminated arrow on her dashboard told her that she was less than 10 miles from her destination. The large, looming sign that proclaimed Mystic Falls, Virginia, 9.5 miles told her the same thing.

But as Caroline blew out a slow, defeated breath, her mind was telling her that Mystic Falls was the furthest thing from her "destination" as she could get.

She'd promised herself she wouldn't come back here. She'd told herself a thousand times over the years that Mystic Falls was behind her. That it didn't matter anymore. That there was nothing left for her here. And over the last five years, she had been perfectly content in living her life just like that.

Until the invitation came. An invitation that was quickly followed with a phone call.

"_Married?"_

_Caroline couldn't do anything but stare down in shock at the delicate piece of paper in her hands, her eyes taking in the words printed elegantly upon it for the tenth time._

_She heard Stefan chuckle from the other end of the line. _

"_I know. Who could have seen it coming, right?"_

_Caroline scoffed, shaking her head as she set the invitation off to the side and reached for her coffee mug. "Uh, pretty sure that's an understatement, Stef. I mean, didn't you just meet this girl?"_

_Stefan Salvatore was Caroline Forbes' best friend. He had been since the day he kicked over her sandcastle in the third grade and she had sucker punched him in the gut for it. They'd been nearly inseparable for almost 15 years, seeing each other through the divorce of parents, the death of parents, breakups, makeups, promotions and everything in between. _

_Six months ago, Stefan had gotten a promotion at his law firm, adding his name to the Saltzman & Fell practice after three years, a feat that was most unheard of for such a young partner. His first act as partner had been to fly overseas to Manchester to assist in a case of a sister firm. He'd been excited, telling her that it was almost like a mini-vacation in and of itself. Caroline had laughed at him, wishing him the best of luck at finding any kind of fun while he was hashing it out in a uptight British courtroom._

_Imagine her surprise when he came home with Rebekah Mikaelson. _

"_We didn't 'just' meet, Caroline," Stefan stressed. "We've been together for nearly seven months. Most couple don't even wait half that long before they take the plunge. Romeo and Juliet got married within three days of their first meeting, if you remember."_

"_Yeah. And looked at how well THAT turned out."_

"_When did you become such a pessimist? You're my best friend, aren't you supposed to be squealing in joy at my happiness?"_

_Caroline laughed. "Come on, Stefan. It's been years since I've squealed about anything. Except for that shoe sale at Prada last month. God, that was great."_

_She heard him chuckle, and she smiled, cradling the phone against her ear as she leaned against the kitchen counter. "Of course I'm happy for you, Stefan. I mean, you'd have to be an idiot to not see how in love you and Rebekah are." __**Even if she was an evil she-devil that gave me the stink eye every time we've met.**_

"_Thanks, Care," Stefan replied, the smile evident in his voice. A slight silence spread between them for a moment, before he spoke again. "I know it's a lot to ask…to have you come back here. But I'm asking. You know I can't get married without my best girl at my side."_

Which was how she found herself here, on the outskirts of Godforsaken rural Virginia, a loaded duffle in the backseat and awful bitter taste in her mouth that no amount of Dr. Pepper could wash away.

Childhood memories and old emotions slid through her head one languid spin at a time. Old emotions that always lay dormant until she hit that state line. Confusion, love, longing. Disappointment and missed opportunities.

She sighed, her finger hitting the button again, the window sliding up as she swiped at her curls as the wind cut off. "God, Stefan, you're lucky I love you," she muttered under her breath.

Up ahead, she caught sight of the old Ma & Pop's diner that resided just outside of town since she was four years old. Just like every Sunday morning, cars were crammed into the parking lot, old pickups and station wagons, customers clamoring for the Early Bird Special. The same old white picket fence surrounded the old Sanderson property. Everything was exactly the same as the day she'd left.

Except for the black pickup truck on the side of the road.

Caroline squinted through her sunglasses, leaning towards the windshield.

A man was leaning against the rear fender, a ball cap shielding his face from the Virginia sun, his black jeans seeming to almost blend in with the paint of the truck.

She supposed she should pull over and see if he needed help. If the raised hood was any indication, he clearly did. But all of her mother's warnings as a child were racing through her head. She was a lone, single young woman on a deserted road. And he looked big.

Really big.

The man caught sight of her car approaching, and he straightened from his position, pushing away from the truck. A long sleeved gray shirt stretched across his chest and around his biceps.

Caroline's foot hovered over her brake pedal, her teeth catching her bottom lip as she drove closer and closer.

Someone else would come. Eventually. It was Mystic Falls after all. People were friendly.

She let her foot return to the floor as she drove past, her eyes straight ahead.

Maybe he could just walk into town. It really wasn't that far. Just a few short miles.

She glanced into her rearview mirror. The man was standing on the side of the road, hands on his hips as he stared after her taillights. Hers was the only car on the highway. It was 9 in the morning. Everyone was having breakfast or already at work. It could be hours before another car ventured up the road.

Groaning, Caroline stepped on the brake, slowing her car to a near stop. She swerved to the curb, spinning her car into a slow U-turn and made her way back to the stalled vehicle on the road. Checking to make sure her doors were locked, she slowed the car to a stop next to the truck and hit the power button on her door panel. The window slid down halfway, and she watched as the man made his way towards her.

She let her eyes travel his form behind her sunglasses. Up past the obvious hard muscle underneath his gray shirt. Across clearly broad shoulders. Over the five o'clock shadow that adorned his square jaw. She leaned back in her seat, peering up at him and meeting his blue eyes. "Car trouble?"

He nodded. "Yeah." His voice was thick with some kind of accent, British or Scottish. Like out of one of those Jane Austin movies she was ashamed to admit she watched weekly. "I think it's the alternator or the timing belt."

"Sure you didn't just run out of gas?" The words slipped from her mouth before she could stop them, and she saw the way his gaze narrowed slightly.

"No," he answered, annoyance in his voice. As if she had somehow insulted his masculinity or something. "I tried calling for a tow, but my phone died."

Caroline nodded. "How long have you been out here?"

"About an hour."

She nodded again, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel. "Well, calling for a tow wouldn't help much. It's Saturday morning. The garage doesn't open until tomorrow."

She watched as the stranger's shoulders slumped slightly as he let out a frustrated breath, his hands once more crossing over his chest. She looked up at the man, past the amazingly sexy stubble and the piercing blue eyes, and realized she had two choices. One, she could leave him here and hope that one of the old timers from the diner up the street would finish breakfast early and give him a lift into town. Or two, she could do it herself.

She sighed, her fingers tapping on the wheel once more. "I have a stun gun."

The man looked down at her. "Pardon me?"

"I have a stun gun," she lied. As if she honestly trusted herself with a stun gun. "And I'm trained to use it. Like…highly trained. I'm deadly."

One corner of his mouth quirked up. "You realize, sweetheart, that a stun gun is not a deadly weapon."

Caroline hesitated, trying not to notice how much she enjoyed the way he called her sweetheart. "What if I turn it up really, really high?"

"Still wouldn't be considered deadly."

"Well, it would probably still hurt as hell if I had to zap your ass."

The man laughed, shaking his head. "Look, love, I'm not looking to get my ass zapped. I simply need a lift into town." He smiled. "I promise I'm not a serial killer."

**I'm sure that's what they all say, **she thought to herself. "Okay, here's the deal. I'd feel super guilty if I just left you here to fend for yourself, considering that you've got at least another two hours before the Early Bird rush ends, and even then, your greatest hope is a couple of old biddies that really shouldn't be trusted to be on the road in the first place. So, I'll give you a lift into town, but you should know that I happen to be the Sherriff's daughter, and my mother knows I'm going to be in town today. So, if for any reason I don't show up, there will more than likely be search party. So your odds of escape are very slim."

She watched as an amused smile spread across his face, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Clear?"

"Crystal, love," he replied, chuckling softly.

Caroline nodded. "Okay. Seriously. Don't make me use my stun gun on you." He laughed, a deep, throaty laugh, and she smiled. "What's your name? You know, in case I need to scratch it into the dashboard as a clue or something."

He smiled, shaking his head slightly. "Nik. And who might my rescuer be?"

"Caroline. Now are you coming or what, Nik?"

"Let me just get my bag."

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Caroline hated awkward silences.

Like…hated. You could always hear the slightest things. Shifting in seats. People swallowing. Teeth grinding. It was just uncomfortable.

It certainly didn't help that her passenger made her incredibly nervous.

"So…first time in Mystic Falls?"

Nik's blue gaze stayed on the road ahead, but his lips quirked up slightly. "Afraid so."

Caroline laughed, nodding. "Well. You are in for a treat."

"Your tone says otherwise, love," he said, finally turning to look over at her. From the corner of her eyes, she could see his piercing blue orbs fixed on her face, and she fought to keep her expression impassive. "I take it you're not a fan." She shrugged, noncommittally. "So then what brings you to Mystic Falls, Caroline?"

She ignored the shiver that went down her spine when he said her name. She kept her eyes on the road ahead of her. "Wedding," she said. "My best friend is getting married in a couple months. And, unfortunately, owning the title of said best friend means that I'm kind of obligated to help out with the whole thing. Which, you know, I get, kind of. Stefan's parents died a few years ago, and his brother is kind of worthless when it comes to things like this." She tried not to let her thoughts dwell too much on Damon Salvatore. It only led to sad little teenage girl memories of being naïve and foolish and eager to please…but she was getting off topic. "Anyway, Stefan kind of flails when it comes to party planning. And I pretty much rock at it. And I mean, what bigger party is there than your wedding?"

In the back of her mind, Caroline knew she was rambling. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence. In fact, it was what she was most known for. Caroline Forbes could talk. It didn't matter who she was talking to, either, as evidenced that she was going on and on to a total stranger who may or may not be a serial killer.

A serial killer with really great lips.

"Anyway, the engagement party is tonight. Weird, I know. An engagement party on a Sunday. But Rebekah preferred it that way. She's the bride," she added, glancing over at Nik briefly, before quickly returning her gaze to the road when she saw his eyes still fixed on her. "She's a hot mess, let me tell ya."

"Really?" Nik finally said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "You know, I've never truly understood that phrase. 'Hot mess.' Doesn't particularly make sense, does it?"

"Uh…I guess not. But, trust me, it fits Rebekah to a T. Don't get me wrong, she's…great. You know…pretty, blonde. Surprisingly a perfect match for Stefan. But she's kind of a drama queen. A bit uptight. Kind of bitchy. Which, you know, I get. I'm a little that way too. But she kind of takes it to a WHOLE new level. And they haven't really known each other that long. It was one of those whirlwind, overseas romance things. Totally overrated. But, she makes him happy. Like…happier than I think I've ever seen him. So…I'm putting my issues with Rebekah to the side. Which isn't easy. But for Stefan, I'd do just about anything. Hence me coming back to this one pony town I swore I'd never come back to."

She sighed, pursing her lips as she looked over at him again. He was staring at her with this expression on his face, as if he honestly didn't know what to make of her.

"I'm sorry…I tend to ramble a lot. Especially in awkward silences. I really hate awkward silences." She laughed, shaking her head. "You probably think I'm nuts, right?"

Nik laughed, shaking his head. "On the contrary, sweetheart. I think you're the most entertainment I've had in quite some while."

Caroline laughed. "Well…glad I can be of service." She shook her head, rolling her eyes behind her sunglasses. "So, um…where should I drop you?"

"The convenience store right up there is fine," he said, reaching for his seatbelt as she pulled the car into the parking lot. She glanced at him as she put the car in park, smiling slightly when he reached into the backseat and pulled out his black duffel bag. He opened the door, slinging it over his shoulder. He rose to his full height, stretching, before he leaned back down, one hand on the roof of the car as he leaned in through the still open door. "Thank you for your assistance, Caroline," he said, a wide smile on his face. "I do appreciate you not leaving me at the mercy of the reckless driving old biddies."

Caroline smiled, nodding as she tightened her hands on the steering wheel. "No problem," she said, tapping her fingers once more. "Sooo…I guess I'll…see you around. Um…enjoy your stay."

Nik nodded, smiling once more, and he met her gaze for a long moment before pushing away from the car and shutting the door. He lifted a hand in farewell, a smug, unbelievable dashing smirk on his face, and he turned on his heel to head into the store, one hand shoved into the pocket of his jeans.

Caroline watched him for a long moment, biting her lower lip as she watched him disappear through the glass doors of the grocery. She sighed, shaking her head as she slumped in her seat. "Seriously, Caroline? Your first time back in town and what's the first thing you do?" She scoffed, switching her car into gear again. She muttered under her breath, shaking her head as she pulled out of the parking lot, her eyes traveling to the rearview mirror. She could see him through the doors, talking to the clerk behind the counter.

It wasn't until she was halfway to the Salvatore Boarding House on the other end of town that she realized she never got his last name.

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**So…there we go. This is my first Klaroline multi-chapter fic. Not really sure where it came from. But I'm digging it. Hopefully you guys are too. Definitely sound off in the reviews and let me know what you think!**

**Also, if you're interested, follow me on Tumblr! Hepurnchick**


	2. Chapter 2

**Rescue Me**

**A.N.: Holy macaroni! The feedback for this story blew my face off! You guys are incredible! Seriously!**

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Mystic Falls was certainly a place Niklaus Mikaelson never thought he'd ever see himself. It wasn't exactly his kind of town. It was far too small, for one. In the middle of nowhere, for another. Not that the solidarity of the town's location was something he was unfamiliar with. He'd lost count of the number of times he'd found himself in the middle of nowhere, in a dusty Afghani desert or stranded in the mountains somewhere, miles from civilization.

No, none of that was what bothered Klaus. It was just how suburb Mystic Falls appeared. Old timers diners, car garages closed on Sundays, family bicycle rides. It was all just so mundane to him. He honestly couldn't see what Rebekah even saw in this little, one stop town.

Well, that really wasn't true, he thought as he leaned against the wall outside the convenience store, his duffel at his feet. He knew just what had drawn his baby sister to this Virginia town. Or rather, who.

Stefan Salvatore.

He'd been hesitant when Elijah had casually mentioned the young American lawyer Rebekah had started dating seven months ago. He'd known the Salvatore boy was only in the country for a short time, and worried about how deep Rebekah had clearly been throwing herself into the relationship. When Rebekah did anything, she didn't do it halfway, after all. She often got attached far too early on, and it never ended well. Elijah, always the most level headed of them all, had shared his concerns, and said he would be sure to keep an eye on their young sister and her American beau.

Neither of them could have seen the engagement coming. Or the move overseas.

Which is how Klaus found himself here, in the middle of Virginia, a broke down truck and a full duffel the only things to his name, while he waited for his sister outside the store. He hadn't been able to stop the smile that spread across his face when he heard Rebekah's excited voice over the phone. Even when she'd started to lecture him on his choice of beat down vehicles, he'd been more than delighted to listen to her rant. It had truly been too long since he'd since his young blonde sister.

While he stood, arms crossed over his chest, he couldn't help but let his mind drift to a different young blonde he'd come across recently.

_Caroline. _

He had truly not known what to make of her. Their interaction hadn't lasted long, but it had still left an impression. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, though. She wasn't really his type. She was pretty enough. Beautiful, really, when he reflected back on it. Her jeans and hooded red sweatshirt hadn't given any clues, so he really didn't know if the body matched the face. Not that it mattered.

He couldn't help but smirk when he recalled the way her lips had defiantly quirked up upon her announcement of a stun gun. That had been a nice touch. He was impressed really. There weren't a lot of girls who would think to lie about owning a stun gun. A pistol maybe. Pepper spray. But a stun gun? She was clever. And he liked his women easy. Something was telling him that the lovely Caroline was anything but.

His train of thought was cut off by the screeching of brakes, and he raised his eyes to see the red mustang that came to a sudden stop just on the outside of the parking lot. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face when Rebekah's blonde head popped out from the driver's side window, eyes shining and smile bright. She threw open the door, barely remembering to put the car and park and turn off the ignition, before she was racing over to meet him.

He let out a gust of air when her small body collided with his, and he chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. "It's good to see you too, Bekah."

Rebekah pulled back, a smile on her face, before she reared back and punched him—hard—in the upper arm.

"Bekah!" he exclaimed, reaching up to cradle his slightly stinging arm and glaring at her.

Her blue eyes were glaring back, her hands perched on her hips. "That was for the three years of radio silent, you bloody dolt." She shook her head, blonde hair flying as she glared at him defiantly. "Not a word, Nik. Not a single word for three years. You're lucky all I did was clobber your arm."

"Come now, Bekah," Klaus cajoled, unable to stop the smirk on his face. "What's with the attitude? I'm here now, aren't I? In the middle of rural America, no less. I thought we were past all this."

Rebekah scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Not even close, darling brother," she said, her face softening as she looked up at him. "But I am happy that you're here."

"As if I could miss my baby sister's wedding," Klaus said, reaching over and putting an arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side. She giggled under his arm, and he knew that all was forgiven. "Now, where's this Salvatore I've flown across the world to meet?"

He couldn't help but smile at the way Rebekah's face lit up at the mention of her fiancé. She truly was happy. Despite all of his reservations, he couldn't deny that. He picked up his duffel bag as she turned on her heel and headed to her car.

"He was otherwise occupied today," she said over her shoulder, sliding gracefully behind the wheel and waiting for him to load his bag into the trunk. "He's back at the house, waiting for Caroline."

Klaus froze momentarily as he opened the door, one eyebrow arching up at the mention of the familiar name. But it couldn't be the same woman…could it?

"Caroline?" he asked, sliding into the passenger seat. Next to him, Rebekah sighed.

"Caroline Forbes," she said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "She's Stefan's best friend. She's coming in for the wedding preparations today. Believe it or not, she is essentially the best man. Or…woman, or whatever. Which is ridiculous, in my opinion. The girl is exasperating."

He bit back the grin that was threatening to burst forth. This conversation was sounding oddly familiar. Wasn't it just moments ago Caroline was voicing a similar opinion on his sister?

"Oh, come now, Bekah. She can't be all that bad."

Rebekah sneered at him. "You've not met her, Nik. Wait until you do. She'll drive you up the bloody wall."

Klaus shook his head, letting his gaze wander to the passing streets and buildings. Maybe his stay in Mystic Falls wouldn't be so boring after all.

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Caroline had barely step foot out of her car before the air was knocked out of her, a pair of strong arms wrapping around her tightly. She laughed, a large grin on her face, and lifted herself up on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around Stefan's neck. She breathed in his familiar, manly scent, and closed her eyes at the sheer joy she felt at being in her best friend's arms.

"You've been gone too long, Forbes," Stefan mumbled into her hair, the smile evident in his voice.

She laughed, and felt his arms tighten around her the slightest bit. "We just saw each other two months ago, Stef," she said, pulling back but letting her hands rest on his shoulders as she looked up at him. "But I've missed you too." She grinned, tilting her head as she squinted up at him. "What's up with your hair?"

Stefan chuckled self-consciously, one hand raising to curl into his hair as the other perched itself on his hip. "Uh…Rebekah said something the other day about me having funny hair so I decided to…try something new."

Caroline rolled her eyes, laughing quietly. "And where is the blushing bride-to-be?"

Stefan didn't miss the annoyance in her voice, and he sighed inwardly. It wasn't any secret to him that Rebekah and Caroline didn't exactly get along. Caroline was protective, never believing anyone was deserving of him. And Rebekah…Rebekah was intimidated by the friendship he and Caroline shared. She'd voiced her concerns more than once over the past several months, even more since they'd actually met face-to-face. And even though each of her concerns were met with his blunt assurance that nothing romantic had ever—or would ever—happen between them, he knew the doubt was in the back of her mind. Which, understandably, led to quite a bit tension between the two blondes.

"She'll be back later," he replied, stepping forward to grab the duffel she was reaching for before her hands could touch it. He smirked at her glare, knowing that she hated being waited on by him, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leading her towards the door to the boarding house. "One of her brothers is getting to town early. She went to go pick him up."

Caroline nodded, her eyes taking in the familiar setting of the Salvatore Boarding House with a small smile. "That's right, she's got like six, right?"

"Four, Miss Sass," Stefan said, smiling when he felt her shove him. "Klaus is one of her older brothers. He's been MIA for awhile, so she was pretty excited when he called to say he was flying in early to spend time with her before the wedding. The others won't be here for a few more weeks."

"KLAUS?" Caroline snorted, taking her bag from Stefan's shoulder as he pushed open the door the room she'd be occupying for the next several weeks. "Seriously?"

Stefan laughed, watching as she trudged to the bed across the room and tossed the bag on it, before launching her small body onto it as well. Her face lit up in a childlike smile as she bounced on the mattress, and he realized once more just how much he'd missed her company. "Yeah. Bex says her parents were into the old fashioned names. I've actually not met this brother yet. So, uh…at the party tonight, you're my buffer."

"Oh, throw me to the wolves, huh? Gosh, I forgot how much I meant to you, Stefan."

Rolling his eyes, Stefan turned on his heel and walked to the door. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response, Forbes," he said, stopping just inside the door and turning back to look at her. "Anyway, the party isn't for another few hours. I have to run into town and make sure the caterers have everything in order before then, so feel free to just relax. Shower, watch TV…do whatever it is you do to make yourself look absolutely fabulous." He laughed when she just shrugged, a smile on her face. "I'll be back before the party." He turned to leave when she nodded, but stopped just outside the hallways. He ducked his head back inside to see her rising to her feet. "I really have missed you, Care."

Caroline smiled, her blonde hair falling over one shoulder as she tilted her head. "I've missed you too, Stefan. Now scram. I'm dying for a shower and you've got exactly two seconds before I start stripping and you're blinded forever by my rockin' bod." She gripped the hem of her sweatshirt to strengthen her threat, and with a laugh he disappeared down the hallway, shutting the door behind him.

Caroline laughed, shaking her head.

So maybe it wasn't so bad being back in Mystic Falls.

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The Salvatore/Mikaelson engagement party certainly didn't disappoint.

Though considering one half of the couple was a member of the town's Founding Families, that wasn't really a surprise. Caroline would bet more than half the town was loitering inside the boarding house at that moment.

She'd been able to avoid the townsfolk for most of the evening. After the initial Inquisition—where have you been, what have you been doing, oh, still single, dear?—people had seemed to forget that the prodigal daughter had returned, instead deciding to focus on the happy couple the party was really for.

She sighed, grabbing a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. She ducked through the crowd, forcing a smile onto her face at the gazes she met, before she ducked into a corner of the room, pressing her back into the wall as she let her eyes rake over the festivities. She shook her head, bringing the glass to her lips. **You knew it could only last so long, Caroline…**

"Hiding in dark corners, Blondie? Times certainly have changed."

Caroline sighed, closing her eyes against the familiar voice that spoke so close to her, and she took another large gulp of champagne before she turned to face the elder Salvatore brother.

"Still lurking in doorways and preying on the younger generation? In that case, you've not changed at all."

Damon Salvatore smirked down at her, dark hair falling into his piercing blue eyes. He hadn't changed much in the five years since she'd seen him. Still tall, dark, and handsome. His bad boy persona still oozed off of him in waves, his all black attire seeming to only enhance that. His dancing eyes—always so vibrant even when they glared in anger—holding so much more than what he ever let on.

"Oh, come on now, Barbie," he said, leaning against the wall next to her and letting his gaze drift off into the crowd. "It's been five years. Aren't we passed the whole 'You cad, you fiend' phase of our relationship?"

Caroline scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest, the glass dangling from her fingertips. "Trust me, Damon. Five years barely scratches the surface for us to be passed anything." She sighed, slumping against the wall.

"Whatever happened to letting bygones be bygones? You were young. I was young. You were stupid. I was…well…less smart, but nowhere near as foolish as you."

She rolled her eyes.

"Our little dalliance cost me two years of a relationship with my brother, not to mention being labeled a few choice words by the townsfolk. Now you're the best man at my little bro's wedding, and I've been demoted to groomsman number three. Haven't I suffered enough?"

"Seriously?" Caroline asked, staring up at him incredulously.

"Come on, what girl is going to hook up with groomsman number three at the reception? Answer: None I'd be willing to see naked."

She scoffed, surprised to see that Damon could still render her speechless with his sheer ability to be a complete douchebag, and shook her head, shoving her glass into his empty hand before turning on her heel and walking away.

"Good talking to you, Barbie!," he called from behind her.

Caroline was perfectly content to disappear up the stairs and lock herself in her room until the party was over then, so completely overwhelmed she was. But Fate seemed to have other plans for that evening.

"Caroline!"

She stopped in her steps, biting back a groan at the British voice that called her name, and she plastered a smile on her face as she turned to face Rebekah. The tall blonde was making her way through the crowd, Stefan's large hand enclosed in her smaller one as she pulled him along. She could tell from the way Stefan's brow furrowed that he knew how uncomfortable she was, but before he could voice his concern, Rebekah's hand was wrapped around her arm.

"Stefan just reminded me that I've been a horrible hostess," she said, an unnervingly friendly smile on her face. Caroline was hesitant to reply, so unfamiliar with this version of Rebekah. Maybe the limelight had mellowed her out a bit. "You were indisposed when my brother and I got back, and things have been so hectic since the party started, I haven't had a chance to introduce you. You'll be seeing a lot of each other, after all. He's staying here, too."

Caroline could only nod as she was jerked forward by Rebekah's steady grip, trading a panicked but confused glance with Stefan as she followed her through the crowd. Stefan only shrugged, shaking his head sympathetically, and followed along shortly.

She was dragged halfway through the boarding house, Caroline would bet. She smiled and nodded at the people they passed, for once grateful for Rebekah's persistence and annoying take-charge attitude as she was spared any small talk that would lead to questions she'd rather not answer at that moment.

Finally they came to a halt, and Caroline sighed, glancing over her shoulder to see Stefan hurrying to catch up with them. She rolled her eyes with a small smile, causing him to grin in response.

"Caroline, I'd like you to meet my brother," Rebekah was saying next to her, referring to a tall, blonde man who had his back to them a moment before.

Caroline turned, her best Miss Mystic Falls smile plastered onto her face.

That smile quickly slipped away when the man turned around, and she recognized his broad shoulders. His curly blonde hair. His piercing blue eyes. And those delectable lips she'd spent far too much time thinking about since he'd walked out of her car that morning.

Lips that were presently upturned in a knowing smirk.

"Good evening, love," he said, his deep voice teasing. "Long time no see."

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**Okay, seriously? 43 follows? 7 favorites? This is insane! I never thought this story would get this kind of response. I'm so glad you all are enjoying it!**

**So Damon is still very much season 1-ish at this point in the story. If you all are confused about why Caroline is so hostile towards him, I promise all will be explained before too long. And no, Damon is not the reason Caroline was so hesitant to return to Mystic Falls.**

**I love that you guys loved the banter between Klaus and Caroline in the car. It was definitely a favorite to write.**

**Thanks again for your support, loves! Please review, as they are like written crack to my writer heart. **

**Follow me on Tumblr, if you so desire: hepburnchick**


	3. Chapter 3

**Rescue Me**

**Gaaaah! I can't believe the feedback I'm getting for this story! You guys seriously blow me away every time!**

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Klaus and Rebekah had arrived back at the Salvatore Boarding House to organized, utter chaos. Caterers were flooding the halls, florists were draping various concoctions over the walls. A gigantic ice sculpture in the form of some kind of winged creature sat in the center of the foyer, dripping, while some helpless delivery boy looked on in complete uncertainty and fear.

Rebekah had barely taken the time to show him to his room before she'd rushed off in a hurry, shouting various orders to the "absolute dolts" who were overtaking the large establishment. He couldn't help but smile though. **Glad to see some things just never change.**

He had to hand it to his younger sister, though. The party certainly was extravagant. He'd been introduced to so many people whose names he knew he'd never remember. Council members, chairmen—it appeared that the Salvatore family was near royalty in this town. Rebekah had mentioned that to him—something about Founding Families or something of that lot. He had really only been paying half attention to her the entire car ride back to the boarding house. His other thoughts had been solely on the blonde that had crossed his path earlier.

Caroline Forbes.

He hadn't sought her out when he got to the boarding house. He'd known she was there though, the familiar car in the driveway giving him the only clue he needed. He hadn't mentioned to Rebekah yet that he'd already met the bane of her existence. How she described Caroline, anyway. Nor had he mentioned it to Stefan Salvatore, whom he had met shortly before the party began.

Klaus couldn't say he particularly liked the Salvatore boy. He'd never liked anyone that Rebekah involved herself with. He was far too overprotective of the youngest sibling to show any kind of partiality to her various boytoys. It had taken less than a minute, though, to see that this one was different. It was in the way Stefan looked at Rebekah. As if she was water, and he was a starving man in the desert. He looked on her with more devotion and affection than Klaus had ever seen in his life. It was apparent that he cared for her greatly. And if the doe-eyed look on his sister's face was any indication, the feeling was very much reciprocated.

So he had settled for a cool glare, and a firm handshake. The inevitable threat to the Salvatore lad could wait until the rest of the family could arrive. No doubt, Elijah would very much like to get a word in.

So now he stood in the foyer, a full glass of champagne in his hand, his trained eyes taking in every aspect of the crowded environment around him. The glass in his hand was midway to his mouth when he caught sight of her for the first time. She was descending the staircase slowly, an uneasy but pleasant smile on her face, and he couldn't help but be captivated.

The body, he was delighted to see, certainly did match the face.

A strapless red dress curved her figure in all the right places. Her creamy white shoulders were flawless. The dress stopped just at mid-thigh, revealing her long legs in all their glory.

Legs like that could kill a man.

Her long blonde curls cascaded over her shoulders in waves, bouncing slightly with every step she took. Even from where he stood, he could see the brightness of her blue eyes. It was almost like she was glowing. Illuminated.

**Oh, yes**, he thought, biting back a groan as he tossed the rest of his drink down his throat, his eyes watching as Caroline was approached by a group of well-wishers and quickly disappeared into the crowd. **He was in big trouble.**

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He'd managed to keep to himself, years of training allowing him to practically fade into the woodwork. No one was really interested in the bride's absentee older brother. They were all too interested in the couple themselves. And in Caroline, he was surprised to discover. They talked about her in hushed tones, almost as if it was taboo to speak about the golden goddess.

Golden goddess?

Where had that thought come from?

Klaus had kept his eyes on her the whole night, watching as she made her way from person to person, making small talk and answering question after question, no doubt about her long absence from Mystic Falls.

He itched to go up to her. To see her eyes widen in surprise at his appearance. He was almost positive she hadn't yet made the connection that he was Rebekah's brother. If she had, she would have come to him. Wouldn't she?

He heard a flurry of footsteps behind him, and then his sister's excited voice, "Caroline, I'd like you to meet my brother," followed by Rebekah's hand against his arm, telling him to turn around. He did as she requested, an amused smirk already on his face at the realization that finally he would get to look Caroline in the eyes once more.

And he certainly wasn't disappointed.

He watched as she turned to face him, a lovely—but obviously very fake—smile on her face. He watched as her eyebrows slowly furrowed as her blue eyes met his, and how the smile was slowly slipping from her face until it was replaced with a frown. He could see her thoughts racing behind her blue eyes, and his smirk grew when they quickly narrowed.

There it was again. That little spark that had so drew him in earlier that day, when she went on and on about a fictional stungun.

He grinned, raising his glass to her in greeting. "Good evening, love," he teased, watching as her eyes narrowed just the slightest bit with his words. "Long time no see."

0000

The universe hated her. That was the only explanation. The freaking universe had a vendetta against her, and was seeing to it that she was put into every uncomfortable scenario that could possibly be thought up.

It was some kind of cruel joke.

Because standing in front of her right now, a sexy, knowing smirk on his equally sexy face—not that she thought he was sexy, because, hello, this was MAJORLY awkward—was Nik. Stranger Nik. Hitchhiker Nik. The Nik that, though she'd tried not to, she had been thinking of all day.

And Nik was Rebekah's brother. The brother whom she had openly complained about his sister to.

God, just let her die now.

"I…I'm confused," Caroline finally managed out.

Nik's smirk simply grew, and she could feel the heat creep up her neck and onto her face.

"Nothing to be confused about, love," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Rebekah stated it quite clearly. I'm her brother."

From the corner of her eye, Caroline could see Rebekah and Stefan exchanging a confused look. Nik was still smirking, a glass of champagne dangling from his fingertips. Gone was the silent, mysterious stranger from this morning, and in his place stood a smug, smirking…jerk.

Caroline crossed her arms over her chest, the shock slipping from her face to be replaced with a glare, and she couldn't help but seethe silently when his smirk grew.

She turned to Stefan. "You said his name was Klaus."

Stefan frowned, taking a step towards her and placing a hand on her waist, a motion that wasn't missed by Klaus, who stared at the hand with a hard glare. "This is Klaus."

Caroline scoffed, shaking her head. "No. He said his name was _Nik._"

Rebekah rolled her eyes, clearly bored now that the conversation had strayed from her. "His name is Nik."

"Niklaus," Klaus added, smiling when Caroline's eyes traveled back to him. She shifted on her feet, the hip that Stefan's hand still clearly laid upon jutting out the side slightly. "It's a name my father gave me. A rather unfortunate one at that, which is why I hardly use it. I mostly go by Klaus. Or Nik." He smiled, dropping his chin slightly so he could see into her eyes more clearly. "Depends on the person, I suppose."

Caroline held his gaze for a long moment, before she shook her head. He was actually enjoying this. Her humiliation. Her discomfort. Clearly he'd made the connection that it was his sister she had groaned about earlier. She wanted nothing more right now that to bash him over the head with her glass and wipe that smug look off his stubbled face.

"Alright, now I'm confused," Stefan said at her side, his grip tightening the slightest bit to get her attention. "You two have met before?"

"I had a smidge of car trouble this morning," Klaus said. "Caroline was kind enough to give me a lift into town." He smirked again. "She was quite the conversationalist, might I add."

**Damn him,** Caroline thought, seething in her place. **Damn him and his sexy, posh accent.**

Stefan laughed, grinning. "Yeah, if there's one thing Care is great at, it's talking." Caroline's angry gaze whipped to him then, and he wiped the smile from his face in a second, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Uh, Beks, what do you say we get back to the party? We still have a few people we have to see."

Rebekah frowned, her eyes darting between Klaus and Caroline, who seemed to be in an intense staring contest. "But Stefan…"

"Bekah, go," Klaus said, breaking his challenging gaze from Caroline and smiling at his sister. "It is your party, after all, and we know how much you love a good party. I'll be quite fine on my own. I have Caroline to keep me company."

His comment was followed by a loud scoff from the blonde in question, and he grinned.

Rebekah sighed, clearly unhappy with the situation. Her brother was enjoying his teasing of Caroline far too much for her taste. He was here for HER, not to flirt with Caroline Forbes. Though, when she saw the look of distaste on Caroline's face, she wondered if she really had a reason to be concerned at all. "Alright, then," she said, reaching out and letting Stefan take her hand in his. "Nik, I'll see you afterwards." She looked at Caroline briefly. "Caroline." And with that, she pulled Stefan in another direction, the Salvatore brother giving Caroline a small smile and a tilt of his eyebrow that clearly said _You'll be explaining later._

Left alone now, Caroline shook her head again, her fingernails nearly digging into the palms of her hands at that wretched smirk that was still firmly set on his face.

"Seriously?"

He arched an eyebrow, rocking back on his heels slightly as he took her in.

"To what are you referring, love?"

"Oh, don't play dumb with me, _Klaus_," she said, scowling. "You knew I was talking about your sister in the car. And you just let me go on and on. Did it never occur to you to jump in and stop me from making a total ass of myself?"

"On the contrary, Caroline, I never made the connection until just now."

She laughed, eyes wide. "Oh really? The fact that the bride was Rebekah, and the groom was Stefan, and that they'd had an overseas romance…none of that gave it away?"

Klaus' lips twitched, and she forced her eyes to stay focused on his, and not let them droop down. "Strange, isn't it?"

Caroline barked out a laugh, covering her face with her hands. "Oh my God," she said, her words slightly muffled. She shook her head, her hair grazing the skin of her hands as did. She sighed, dropping her hands back down to her hips, and her eyes narrowed at him again. "Okay. Clearly, this situation is just all kinds of awkward. You, clearly, were deceptive. I, admittingly, was a bit of a bitch, complaining about the bride, who just happens to be your sister." A fact which she still couldn't quite process. Though that knowing, self-confident smirk was a trait that was clearly shared by the siblings. "So, let's just…forget it. Pretend it never happened. You'll just be the brother of the bride, and I'll be the groom's best friend, and we'll go on our merry way. Okay?"

Klaus smiled, shrugging his shoulders as he brought his glass to his lips again. "Fine by me, sweetheart."

"Good," Caroline nodded. "Because my one objective here is to get through this wedding, see Stef on his way, and then get the hell out of Mystic Falls. So I really don't need any of this awkwardness getting in the way."

"Yes, the talk of the town does seem to be the mysterious reappearance of the long lost Forbes daughter," he said, tilting his glass to her. "People have been whispering about you all night, Caroline. It's apparently quite the scandal, you being back here. Can't help but wonder why."

Caroline frowned, heart clenching in her chest, and she wrapped her arms around herself, as if to calm it. She knew people would gossip. She knew they'd put on a fake front to her face and then converse behind her back, wild theories and accusations running rampant. She knew it was inevitable. But it still didn't stop her from dreading the whole thing. And she certainly didn't' want to talk about it to Niklaus Mikaelson, of all people. "Well, that's really none of your business, is it, Klaus?"

"Doesn't bother me a bit, love," he said, smirking. "I could care less, honestly, about you and your small town drama. Like you said, I'm here for Rebekah's wedding, and to spend time with my sister."

"Fine. So stay out of my way, and I'll stay out of yours. Deal?"

He nodded. "Deal."

"Fine."

"Fine."

They stared at each other a moment longer, his lips twitching up into another smirk at her clear discomfort, before she scoffed again, shaking her head and turning on her heel.

Klaus sighed, watching her hips swaying as she angrily strode out of the room, blonde curls bouncing against her shoulders and back.

This was going to be a long two months.

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**Eh…I'm not quite sure I actually like this chapter. I started out in Caroline's POV, and hated it, so switched to Klaus', and like it a bit more. But now it's just kind of…eh. So, please let me know what you guys think.**

**I know it's a bit of a shorter chapter, but I'm leaving for four days on Friday and wanted to make sure I could get an update out before then. Yeah, totally roadtripping it to DragonCon in Georgia for the Vampire Diaries convention. With Joseph Morgan and Ian Somerhalder. So yeah…fangirling the crap out over here.**

**Anyway, I hope you all liked it! I promise that the mystery of Caroline's absence from MF and the reason she's such an enigma in town will be answered soon. Along with an appearance by the rest of the Mikaelson clan, as well as some familiar VD faces.**

**Leave your love in the reviews, and I promise to have another update by next weekend!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Rescue Me**

**A.N. Okay…first off…You guys are awesome. I know I probably sound like a broken record in my notes, but it's true. Seriously. Over a hundred follows? It blows my mind! You have no idea how much it means to me, guys!**

**Next…Joseph Morgan smells like happiness. Period. He is also far more handsome in real life than in TVD (if you can believe it, because I had trouble!) and, yes, his accent is even dreamier. He was a bit skittish though, because apparently the night before, he was mobbed by a group of girls at the hotel bar. Not cool. They were apparently pretty hard to disperse, considering Sebastian Roche and Nate Buzolic couldn't even get through their brigade. But, security finally intervened. But it was obvious he was a little uneasy with the crowd that showed up for him. He did say, however, that I was the first person to ask if I could poke one of his dimples. He said it was a bit too odd of a request, and gave me a hug instead and called me "love." Which, you know…was awesome. But yeah…point of this whole second note, I guess, is to rant about the disrespect some fans have towards JoMo. You have to admit, the whole mobbing this is pretty ridiculous. If you can clearly see someone is uncomfortable in a situation, back off. Like I said, it's not cool.**

**Okay. Rant over. Please enjoy the newest chapter and let me know what you think!**

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Humiliation coupled with a hangover was not the best way to wake up in the morning.

Caroline bit back a groan when she pried open her eyes, the offensive sunlight nearly burning off her corneas. Or at least, that's how it felt her hazy, throbbing brain. She rolled over onto her back, dragging a hand down her face as the other tangled in the knots of hair on top of her head. Her new dress—the one she'd bought in New York a few short hours before catching her flight to Virginia—was bunched around her hips, the smooth material now marred by hideous wrinkles she knew no amount of ironing would ever disperse. An empty bottle of champagne was tucked into the blankets at her side. Her stiletto heels were tossed in the armchair across the room.

"Morning."

This time, she let out a tortured groan, her hands quickly traveling to her ears at the sound of the chipper voice. "Lower the megaphone, Stef," she muttered out, squinting up at the distorted figure that stood at the foot of her bed. "Ugh, what time is it?"

"Almost ten," Stefan said, smirking down at the disheveled and clearly miserable form of his best friend. "I'm honestly amazed you are even coherent right now. Between the bottle you guzzled up here on your own and the other two I'm sure you downed during the party, you should be dead, at the very least."

Caroline moaned, turning over onto her side and curling in around herself. "Oh, God, death would be too sweet a mercy right now," she whined, cradling her aching head in her hands. She heard Stefan laugh above her, and then cried out when she felt him hurl himself onto the bed, curling up next to her. "Stefan! Seriously?"

"Lighten up, Carebear," he said, propping himself up on his elbow and grinning down at her. "Come on, we've had worse hangovers. And we were a lot younger than we are now."

Caroline shook her head, shifting so her cheek rested against Stefan's shoulder. "We were a lot stupider too."

"Can't deny that," Stefan replied, scooting a bit further back on the bed so Caroline could rest against him more comfortably. He stared down at her blonde head, watching her fingers massage her temples slowly. "So. Want to talk about what exactly led to the all night kegger?"

She groaned, offering a half-hearted shrug. "Hell if I know," she said. "First it was all the judgmental, two-faced looks from everyone who came up to me. Then it was Damon."

"Good ol' Damon," Stefan muttered, pushing Caroline's bangs out of her eyes as she settled more on her back. "I'm sorry if he upset you, Caroline. I made him promise to be on his best behavior, but, clearly, his word can't be trusted."

He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice, but he knew he was failing at it. Though Caroline had put her brief affair with his older brother behind her—or as behind her as she could—Stefan held a bit more resentment towards it. It was no secret to anyone that the Salvatore brothers had been anything but close during Stefan's teenage years. Damon had very much been the black sheep of the family, jealous of Stefan's golden boy image and various accomplishments. Their father had voiced his disappointment in his eldest son, and years of his words and harsh looks had started to take their toll on Damon. A bitter, harsh side to him started to rear its head, and he made it a point to come between his brother and anything that made him happy.

Enter Caroline.

Sweet, naïve, insecure Caroline.

She had been easy pickings for Damon. A smooth word here, a flattering comment there, and young Caroline Forbes—so desperate for approval and attention since she rarely received it at home—was putty in his hands.

"Damon's a first rate jackass, Stefan," Caroline said, breaking him from his train of thought. "It's not a secret to anyone."

Stefan chuckled, nodding. "True." They lied there in silence for a moment before he glanced down at her again. "And, uh, what was up with all the tension between you and Rebekah's brother?"

Caroline hesitated a moment. "What tension?"

"Caroline," Stefan laughed, shaking his head. "You can't lie to save your life, so don't even pretend to not know what I'm talking about. You could have cut the tension between you two with a chainsaw last night."

"Ugh," Caroline groaned, throwing her hands over her face and turning onto her back.

"Seriously, Care, what happened after you gave him a ride into town?"

"Nothing," Caroline muttered, peeking up at him from behind her fingers. Stefan merely arched a brow at her, and she threw up her hands. "Seriously, nothing happened. I mean, I gave him a ride. He said his name was Nik. I never even made the connection that he could possibly be Rebekah's brother. Though I really wish I had, considering I ranted about her for a good 10 miles. And before you say it, yes, I know. 'Give her a chance, she's not that bad, blah blah blah.' And I am giving her a chance, but it was an awkward silence, Stefan! You know how I freaking hate awkward silences. And he wasn't offering any kind of conversation, so I just kept going. And going, and going. God, I'm such a nimrod!"

Stefan barked out a laugh, flinching away from her when her fist aimed for the center of his chest.

"This isn't funny, Stefan! I mean, how did I not connect the dots? A hot, British guy in town for a short visit—"

"You think Klaus is hot?"

"What? No!" Caroline bolted up in the bed, freezing for a brief second when the room took a bit longer to catch up with her movements. She sighed, looking down at her best friend, whose face was a mixture of amusement, wariness, and confusion. "I mean…sure, I guess to the naked eye, he's not horrible to look at. I mean…Rebekah's pretty hot, and they're related, so it's gotta be a genetic thing. Or something." She shook her head. "Anyway, that doesn't matter, Stefan. The point is, I made a complete idiot out of myself, twice, and he just freaking stood there, smirking. He knew exactly who I was when he walked into the engagement party, and he enjoyed every moment of my misery. Freaking jerk."

"Okay, I will admit. It was kind of a dick move for him not to mention he knew who you were when Rebekah and I mentioned you. But isn't drinking yourself into oblivion over some guy you're only going to have to see for a couple months overdoing it a bit, Care?"

Caroline sighed, running her fingers through her hair and then cringing when they got caught in a knot. "He was just the cherry on top, Stef," she said quietly. "I guess I just hadn't braced myself for Mystic Falls as well as I thought I had. It just…hit me hard, I guess."

Stefan reached up and rubbed a hand on her back reassuringly, gently pulling her until she rested against his side. "I know, Caroline," he said softly, sighing. "You know, I'd understand…if you wanted to leave—"

"No, Stefan," Caroline interjected, pulling back so she could stare him in the face. "I am not letting my issues get in the way of your wedding. Okay? Seriously. I'll be fine." She smiled, shrugging. "I'm not girly little Caroline anymore. I can take care of myself."

Stefan smiled, nodding. "Sure you can." He leaned forward and planted a kiss on her forehead, squeezing her shoulder briefly. "Anyway, you should get up. Official wedding business starts this afternoon, and I your mom already called from the station asking if the two of you were still on for lunch since she hadn't heard from you yet." He watched as Caroline's face fell slightly, and he wanted to just wrap his arms around her and hide her away from the trials he knew she would be facing over the next few weeks. "I told her to give you an hour or two. Though maybe I should have said three or four, considering you look like you went five rounds with Lindsay Lohan on a binge."

Caroline scoffed, sliding off the bed and stretching her arms over her head. "Whatever. I could drink that ginger skank under the table."

Stefan laughed, nodding his agreement, and rose to his feet as well, wrapping an arm around her waist as she followed him to the door. "Seriously, Caroline. Take it easy, okay? Don't get too wrapped up in Mystic Falls and people. And the whispers. They don't mean shit in the long run. You're stronger than all of it." He smiled when she rolled her eyes, a faint blush covering her mascara smeared cheeks. "And go easy on Rebekah, okay? She's stressed about the wedding, and you know she's really uncomfortable with you being here."

"Which is ridiculous. I mean, I'm still traumatized from that one kiss we had back in junior high during Spin the Bottle."

"Yeah, that was wrong," Stefan said, cringing himself at the memory. "But it did help cement our friendship, so we should be grateful for that." They laughed, and Stefan reached for the doorknob. "Everything's going to fine, Caroline Forbes."

Caroline smiled at him, nodding. "Don't I know it, Stefan Salvatore."

Stefan squeezed her shoulder again, pulling open the door and turning on his heel to leave, but stopped when he nearly collided with Rebekah and Klaus who were coming from the other end of the hall. He couldn't help the smile that burst across his face at the sight of Rebekah, but it slowly slipped when he saw her blue eyes taking in the scene before her, and he knew her mind had automatically jumped to a place he'd assured her it never need to.

"Caroline," Klaus said, smirking when she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Good morning, sweetheart. Sleep well?"

"Just peachy," Caroline retorted, shifting on her feet when she saw his eyes graze over her form, and she wished to God she had pulled on a robe or something, considering her dress was bunched ridiculously high on her thighs.

"Stefan, what's going on?" Rebekah asked, her eyes darting between her fiancée and the sleep rumpled blonde at his side. Yes, she knew she was being foolish. Stefan loved HER. But he also loved Caroline, and she really, truly did not.

"Caroline overslept," Stefan said reassuringly, reaching out and interlacing his fingers with hers. "She has lunch with her mom today. I just wanted to make sure she was still alive."

Caroline snorted, and Rebekah nodded, a small smile on her face. "Of course. Well, if you're done checking on her well-being then, we have to make a final decision on the photographer by this afternoon. I thought we could do lunch and discuss it."

"Sounds great," Stefan said, smiling at her and giving her fingers a squeeze. He turned to smile at Caroline. "See you later tonight, Care?"

"You bet," she answered, her lips quirking into a smirk when she saw Rebekah's eyes narrow at them slightly. "Thanks for the wake up sex." And she shut the door in their faces—Rebekah's stunned, Stefan's irritated, and Klaus' amused, smirking one.

"She was kidding," she heard Stefan stress to Rebekah, and she couldn't help but laugh as she made her way to the shower.

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Klaus was lounging in the den when Caroline made her way downstairs an hour later, hair perfectly curled and sundress wrinkle free. He refused to admit that his breath caught in his throat when he saw her. He'd seen more beautiful women in his lifetime—thousands, in his time overseas—but there was just something about this baby blue eyed blonde that made him rethink that statement.

She stopped in her tracks when she saw him. "You're still here?"

He grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "Where else would I be, love? You're the only person I know in this town. Apart from my sister, who is currently occupied with snapshots and various other things that hold no interest for me."

Caroline scoffed, shaking her head. She tried not to notice how his long sleeved Henley clung to his chest in a way that was oddly distracting. Or the how the stubble that grazed his cheeks seemed to beg to be stroked. No, because noticing those things would be ridiculous. She hated him. Niklaus Mikaelson, with his posh accent and stupid smirk that clearly sent a chill down her spine. A chill of disgust. Certainly not one of pleasure. Seriously.

"Well, you're out of luck, because I'm on my way out," she said, shifting the purse on her shoulder as she made her way to the front door.

"Yes, for lunch with your mother, if I recall," Klaus said, rising to his feet and following her into the hall. "It just so happens that the two I called today for my truck said it would be fixed and ready to go within the hour, so I thought that I would tag along."

Caroline stopped, whirling around to face him, her blonde curls nearly smacking him in the face, he was so close to her. "You are not tagging along."

"Oh come on, love, you can drop me at the garage on the way back."

"No!" Caroline protested. Klaus raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her outburst, and she stopped for a moment to take a breath, pressing a hand to her forehead. "Look, I can give you a ride to the garage, but you can't come to lunch with me. I haven't seen my mother in five years, Klaus, so it's going to be awkward enough without having to explain why some British stranger is sharing the table with us."

"I didn't mean to imply I would be joining you, Caroline," Klaus said, clasping his hands together behind his back. "I merely meant that I'd have a seat at the bar, have a drink and a bite until you had finished with your mother. I'm imposing enough, asking for a lift, I wouldn't dream of intruding on your time with her."

Caroline lowered her hand, shifting on her feet slightly. "Oh," she said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry, I didn't…" She laughed, uncomfortable, as she looked up into his blue eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little stressed."

"It's quite alright, Caroline," he said, smiling softly. "I can wait for Rebekah to return, if it's a bother to you."

"No, no it's fine," she insisted, sighing. "Really. It's not a problem."

Klaus smiled, nodding. "Very well then," he said, stepping around her and motioning for her to go ahead of him as he placed one hand at the base of her back. "Shall we?"

Caroline nodded, smiling at him, all while trying to not admit that the feel of his hand on her back sent shivers down her spine.

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The Mystic Grill was exactly the same. It was as if nothing had changed in five years.

It was an understatement to say that it made Caroline very uneasy.

"Caroline!"

Caroline barely had time to register her name being called before she was enveloped in a pair of strong arms and pulled into a crushing hug. She staggered a bit before she caught her footing, smiling softly when she recognized the familiar scent of Bonnie Bennett, and wrapped her arms around her old friend in return.

"Hey Bon."

Bonnie pulled back, keeping her hands firmly on Caroline's forearms as she looked her friend over. Her long dark hair cascaded around her dark face, and her lips were turned up in the first welcoming smile Caroline had seen since she arrived.

"How are you, Care? I'm so sorry I missed the engagement party last night. Work has been insane."

Caroline laughed. "It's fine, Bonnie. And I'm good. You know…settling in a bit. I'm just meeting my mom for lunch right now…" She trailed off, noticing how Bonnie's eyes were now focused on the man standing behind them. "Oh, sorry, Bonnie this is Klaus. He's Rebekah's brother."

Bonnie's eyes brightened a bit at that, and she nodded, reaching out to shake his hand. "Right, of course. Stefan mentioned that one of her brothers was getting into town early for the wedding. I'm Bonnie Bennett. It's nice to meet you."

Klaus smiled politely, shaking her hand. "A pleasure, Bonnie."

"Bonnie went to high school with me and Stefan," Caroline said, smiling. Klaus nodded, returning his hands to their place in the pockets of his jacket. "Anyway, Bon…I'm really sorry to cut this short, but I see my mom over there, so…"

"Oh, no it's fine," Bonnie said, shaking her head and waving a hand in the air. "I actually was just on my way out. I have a staff meeting in, like, half an hour at the high school I need to get to anyway. But…we should catch up. You know…talk."

Caroline didn't miss the tone in her friend's voice, and she nodded, shrugging. "Absolutely. Just…swing by the boarding house whenever. I'll be here for a while yet."

Bonnie smiled, nodding, and reached out to pull her into a hug again. "I've missed you, Care."

Caroline closed her eyes, nodding. "I missed you, too." She pulled away, smiling. "Come by in a few days. We'll have girl talk and just catch up."

Bonnie nodded, and glanced over at Klaus once more. "It was nice to meet you." Klaus merely nodded in reply, smirking slightly, and Bonnie waved a farewell, maneuvering around them and heading out the door.

Caroline let out a breath, dropping her hands to her sides. "Well, that's one more awkward encounter I can cross off my list," she said, shaking her head when she heard Klaus chuckle at her side. "Anyway, the bar's over there, clearly. The burgers here are great, but I will remind you that it's barely noon, and I am on an anti-overindulgence on alcohol kick, so try to take it easy."

"No worries, darling," Klaus said, smirking at her as he made his way towards the bar. "I'll be fit as a fiddle to drive myself home. I'd be foolish to overindulge in the presence of the sheriff's daughter, after all."

Caroline laughed, shaking head as she watched him take a seat at the bar and smile at the pretty waitress that made her way towards him. She kept her gaze on him for a moment longer, a part of her wanting him to turn and look at her once more—which she didn't understand, because, hello? They didn't like each other, remember?—but his attention stayed focused on the brunette and the menu in front of him. She sighed, knowing that she'd put off the inevitable long enough, and made her way towards the table in the back of the Grill, where the familiar form of her mother sat with her back towards her. She took a deep breath, and stopped just behind her mother's chair. She forced a smile onto her face.

"Hey, Mom."

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Klaus kept his back to the dining area, knowing that if he turned even for the slightest second, his gaze would stay riveted on Caroline Forbes. She was like some unnatural siren. No matter what she did, her every action drew him in. He'd found it so hard to focus when he was being introduced to the Bennett girl, so distracted by the softness of her hair as it had brushed against his skin when she'd turned to face him. She was stunning, in the very essence of the word.

And she was a distraction he didn't need.

He smiled at the waitress as she placed his meal in front of him, ignoring the way her green eyes seemed to linger on him a moment longer than they should have, and raised the glass of bourbon to his lips.

"Bourbon for brunch. My kind of guy."

His gaze slid to his left, and met the hazy eyes of the man that sat there. He frowned for a moment, trying to place where he knew the blue eyed man from, before he recalled seeing him the night before, cornering Caroline at the party. Stefan's brother, he remembered Rebekah mentioning t him.

"Damon Salvatore," he said, nodding at him. He recalled his sister's distaste for the elder brother, and from Caroline's reaction the previous evening, came to the conclusion that it was more than likely a universal opinion.

Damon grinned, raising his own glass in acknowledgement. "The one and only," he said, smirking. "And you are the prodigal Mikaelson brother, I presume. Rebekah has not stopped talking about you."

His words were slurring together slightly, a testament obviously to the amount of drinks the young man had already consumed. Klaus wondered if he had ever actually stopped since last night.

"She's had a few choice words to say about you as well, mate," he said, setting his glass on the countertop and turning to his food. "So I'd suggest you move to another portion of the bar."

Damon scoffed, ignoring the warning and sliding into the barstool next to him. Klaus glowered at him from the corner of his eye, but kept his controlled posture. "Well, aren't you a ray of freaking sunshine. You'd think hanging out with Barbie Forbes you'd be a bit more chipper. Not that, you know, she has ANY cause to be chipper, but it just comes naturally to her, I guess. Defense mechanism or something like that."

His words piqued Klaus' interest, especially since they were concerning Caroline, and he turned his body to half face the man at his side. "Defense mechanism against what, might I implore?"

"Against everything. The gossip, the glares, the very taboo-ness of her even coming back to this God forsaken town after what happened. She's an idiot for that move, I'll tell you that."

Klaus gritted his teeth, tightening his grip around the glass in his hand. "It's an act of idiocy, returning to your hometown?" he leveled out, outraged and confused over his reaction to the man's insult toward Caroline. Why did he care so much?

"For Caroline Forbes, you bet your ass it is," he said, throwing back his scotch and signaling the bartender for another one. "I mean, kudos to her, for having the guts to endure the attention she's going to be getting over the next couple months. She loooves my brother." He smirked, shaking his head. "He really is the only one that could get her to come back here after all. But, I mean, if I were here, I would have stayed far, far away, and never looked back."

"And why is that?"

Damon frowned, looking over at him. "Because there isn't anything left for her here. Apart from Stefan. And her mom, though, Liz is far from Mother of the Year. Married to the job and all that."

Klaus nodded, risking a glance over his shoulder. Caroline was sitting across from her mother, an uncomfortable look on her face as she stared down at her salad. He couldn't make out the conversation from his place at the bar, but from the strained looks on both the Forbes' women's faces, he didn't guess they gushing about how much they'd missed each other.

"Stefan was selfish, asking Caroline to come back here."

Klaus tore his gaze away from the blondes at the table, and looked back to Damon, who was staring intently into his half empty glass. He frowned.

"He wanted her here for the wedding. But it was a huge thing asking her to come back here and face all this. She's a tough cookie, Caroline…but there are some things you just can't handle."

"You'll have to excuse me, Damon," Klaus said, taking a drink of his bourbon as he eyed him intently. "I'm new to town. I'm afraid Caroline's history is a bit of a blank slate for me."

Damon sighed, crossing his arms on the counter and leaning forward, his eyes fixed on something in the distance that only he could see. "Caroline Forbes is a bigger black sheep in Mystic Falls than I am." He smirked, glancing over at Klaus. "And that's saying something. Because half of this town hates me."

He believed that, Klaus thought, Rebekah's description of him ringing in his head. "Yes, well, that would be because of your own foolish and immature choices, Damon. No fault but your own. But, tell me, how would Caroline be worse off than you?"

Damon scoffed, pushing away from the counter and reaching behind the bar for the bottle of scotch the waitress had left unattended. He whistled as he poured himself a generous drink, wincing when the amber liquid overflowed the glass. He set the bottle down, licking his fingers as he raised the glass to his lips, peering over the rim at Klaus.

"She killed the town's Golden Family."

Klaus's eyes snapped up to his, his mouth opening slightly as he cocked his head, as if wondering if he heard him right.

Damon smirked.

"Yeah. It's a real buzz kill, ain't it?"

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**Dun-dun-dun!**

**Gasp! What did Damon mean? Was it just the booze talking? Or is Caroline really hiding a darker secret than Klaus suspected….**

**Please sound off in the reviews! You all know how much I love to hear your reaction! I'm hard at work on the next chapter, so I won't hold you in suspense for too long!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Rescue Me**

**A.N. Golly gee, nobody was upset by that cliffhanger last chapter, were they?**

**The reviews you guys left were amazing! I loved hearing the theories, and some of you are pretty spot on. It's great!**

**The response for this story is CRAZY! I can't believe you all are enjoying it so much, so I certainly hope you find this chapter to your liking. See you at the bottom of the page, my lovelies!**

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Caroline sighed for the hundredth time as she nudged her salad with her fork, her eyes cautiously peering across the table at her silent mother.

Liz Forbes sat straight and tall, the brown and tan Sherriff uniform hanging off her slender form in the way Caroline always remembered, silver badge pinned to her chest. It used to bother her when her mother wouldn't change the uniform anytime they were out together. But considering they hadn't really interacted in five years—not to mention the way they had left things the last time she had been in Mystic Falls—she let it go this time.

Clearing her throat, Caroline raised her head and smiled. "So…how's work?"

Small talk…she and her mother had been resorted to small talk over lunch.

Liz looked at her, returning a half-hearted—albeit uncomfortable—smile. "It's good," she said, dropping her head and returning her attention to her pasta and cheese. "Same old, same old. You know Mystic Falls. It doesn't change that much." She shifted in her seat. "How's the, um…the broadcasting firm you work for?"

Caroline shrugged. "Oh, you know, the glamorous life of an intern," she laughed, her fork dangling from her fingertips. "I'm slowly working my way up the ranks, it's just not happening as quickly as I would like."

Liz nodded, and they lapsed into silence once more.

And if there was one thing Caroline hated more than anything, it was awkward silences.

Her fork hit her plate with a loud clatter, and she watched as her mother flinched slightly at the sound. "You know, having a conversation with you would be a lot easier if you'd look at me every now and then."

Liz sighed, setting her fork down, and slowly raised her eyes to meet Caroline's. Caroline, in turn, rolled her eyes, tossing her hands up slightly.

"With a little less disdain would be nice."

"Caroline, I don't know what you want from me," Liz said, sighing again, her hands flat against the tabletop. She kept her gaze on Caroline, though not on her eyes. She focused on anywhere but the blue eyes of her daughter. Her chin, her forehead, over her shoulder. But she couldn't bring herself to meet her eyes full-on. "You've been gone for five years. We've barely spoken. I'm here. I'm sitting here, with you. What more do you want?"

Caroline sighed, shaking her head as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Things haven't exactly been easy around here over the last five years, Caroline. Things changed. Your actions had consequences. Consequences that are still felt throughout this whole town."

"I realize my actions had consequences, Mother," Caroline said, closing her eyes as she ran a hand through her hair. "Okay, trust me. I've been living with them for five years. But I'm your daughter." She opened her eyes and looked across the table at her mother. "Mom, I'm your daughter. Your little girl…is it really too much to ask for you to actually want to be here with me?"

Liz stared at her daughter, mouth opening and closing slightly as she fought to form an answer to the question. Caroline felt a stab in her heart with every second that passed. A muffled vibrating sound was heard from under the table, and the sheriff sighed as she reached into her pocket, pulling out her cellphone and flipping it open. Her eyes scanned the message that waited for her quickly, and she bit her lip, returning the phone to her pocket as she looked across the table. "That was work…I have to go, Caroline, I'm sorry."

Caroline scoffed, nodding, and absentmindedly rearranged her place setting. "Yeah. What else is new?"

Liz sighed, setting her napkin on the table, the legs of her chair scraping against the floor as she scooted it back and rose to her feet. "Look, lunch is on me." Caroline nodded, avoiding her mother's gaze. "I'm sorry I can't stay, but this needs my attention…I'm sorry, Caroline."

"Yeah," Caroline said softly, the word barely even audible to her own ears, and she kept her gaze fixed on the table before her until she heard her mother sigh and start to walk away. She looked up in time to see her quickly disappearing through the door to the Grill, the sudden onslaught of burning tears making her cover her face and shake her head. She leaned forward, her blonde hair creating a curtain around her, and took a few deep, steadying breaths. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. She knew it was going to hurt.

She just hadn't been prepared for how much.

Sighing, she raised her head, pushing her hair behind her ears, and let her gaze travel to the bar where she knew Klaus still sat waiting for her. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw the familiar form of Damon Salvatore sitting next to him.

A very drunk Damon Salvatore, from the look of things.

Caroline could feel the color drain from her face even as her fingernails dug into the skin of her palms, and she shot to her feet. Quickly she gathered her purse, slinging it over her shoulder as she maneuvered her way towards the bar, ignoring the passing glances she received with every step she took. She'd already faltered under her mother's judgmental gaze. She wasn't going to give the rest of the town the satisfaction.

She kept her gaze trained on the dark haired man that sat next to Klaus, and she could only pray that Damon—stupid, selfish, drunk off his ass DAMON—had the common sense to keep his mouth shut this one time. This one time, please just let him care about the feelings of someone other than himself.

But as she stopped just behind them, and Klaus swiveled around on his barstool, his cool blue eyes giving her a thoughtful onceover in a way completely different from last night, she knew that her prayers and hopes went unanswered.

She let out a defeated breath, fighting back the tears she knew were welling just below the surface.

Just like that, the one person in town who didn't know her deep dark secret was gone. The one person with whom—though she hated him, and they had just met less than 48 hours ago—she didn't have to pretend she was stronger than she really was.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she let her gaze travel from Klaus' contemplative expression to the semi-guilty—and full blown drunk—one of Damon Salvatore.

"It's getting late," Caroline said, keeping her steely gaze firmly fixed on her best friend's brother, silently giddy at the fact that his bloodshot eyes immediately dropped to the bartop in front of him. "We should get to the garage and get your truck. Stefan and Rebekah will be waiting."

Klaus nodded, rising to his feet as he simultaneously tossed a few bills on the counter. "As you wish, love," he said, giving Damon one last glance before he descended the stairs and strode towards the door of the Grill.

Caroline watched him walk away, turning to follow him, but not before sending one last glare in Damon's direction. "I hope you drink yourself to death," she said softly, threateningly, years of hurt and angst behind her voice.

Damon finally raised his eyes to meet hers, and she felt a sudden sadness deep in her chest at the utter emptiness she found in his stunning blue orbs. He raised his eyebrows, settling back on his elbow against the bar. "He would have found out eventually, Blondie," he said, his voice just as soft but even colder than hers had been. "People like you and me? We don't have the luxury of secrets untold."

Caroline scoffed, shaking her head, and turned her back on him, striding towards the door Klaus had disappeared through, running a hand through her hair.

"I am NOTHING like you," she whispered under her breath.

But even as she said the words, she knew that it was yet another lie.

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Caroline couldn't stand silence. She was loud and enthusiastic. She liked laughter and talking.

But for once she was absolutely terrified to break the silence that was in the car.

Though the ride to the Mystic Garage was a few short minutes, to Caroline it had seemed to take hours. She could feel Klaus' eyes on her as her hands gripped the steering wheel. She didn't dare peek at him from the corner of her eyes, so afraid of the judgment and disgust she was sure she'd find on his face.

How much had Damon told him?

She sighed as she brought the car to a stop in front of the Garage, her eyes spotting Klaus' familiar truck sitting in front of the double doors. Klaus was making no move to leave the car, however, and she found her grip tightening on the steering wheel as she clenched her eyes shut.

"Could you stop looking at me like that?"

She heard the leather of the passenger seat squeak slightly as he shifted to face her further. "Like what, love?"

Caroline scoffed, shaking her head as she turned to look at him. "Like THAT," she said, gesturing to his face. "Like I'm some weird riddle you can't unravel or something." Klaus simply continued to stare at her, his head titled slightly as his eyes scanned her face. "Look, I know Damon told you. So, there you go. You know why little Caroline Forbes hasn't been home in years. It's because I'm a freaking pariah in this town, Klaus. So, stop staring at me like you're trying to make sense of something that just doesn't, and get out of the car."

Klaus nodded. "So it's true then?" He shrugged when she looked at him with furrowed brows. "I'm quite familiar with the ramblings of a drunken man, Caroline. You can't take everything they say at face value." He watched Caroline's lovely face quiver slightly, her eyes dropping to her hands on the steering wheel, her teeth capturing her bottom lip. "I don't believe you're quite capable of cold-blooded murder though, darling…so what happened?"

The softness of his voice washed over her. It was as if he honestly cared. It was as if he didn't see her as the same monster the rest of the town surely did.

He could see her struggling, trying to reconcile the thoughts in her head, and he leaned the slightest bit towards her. "Was it an accident, Caroline?" Her eyes flickered towards him, and he saw the shadows that flashed through them. But just as quickly they vanished.

"It doesn't matter," she replied softly, shrugging her shoulders as she sighed. "Elena and her parents are still dead, and it was my fault. Accident or not, nothing changes that." She laughed then, a harsh bitter laugh. "Anyway, there you go. There's the big mystery surrounding my infamous return." She looked over at him, jaw cocked as she took in his expressionless face. "So, if you don't mind…I'd rather get back to the boarding house. There's still a lot to get done, and sitting here reminiscing? Not exactly the most productive thing."

Klaus couldn't help but shake his head, wondering at what point exactly did this small town girl suddenly matter to him. Why did he care? Why had her bitter, defeated laugh cut him to his very core? Caroline was bright. She was the very definition of light. A sound so sad and full of despair wasn't meant to come from her mouth.

He moved without thinking, reaching out a hand and gently pushing her blonde hair away from her face. He felt her flinch slightly against his touch, and he froze, his hand gently cradling her cheek as he leaned towards her, his eyes connecting with hers and keeping them fixed on him. Her skin was softer than he'd imagined, flawless in the midafternoon sun. Her blue eyes seemed brighter as they searched his, and he felt an odd tightening in his chest. "Caroline…"

The shrill ringing of a cellphone broke their trance, and Klaus gritted his teeth when Caroline shrunk away from him, her back nearly colliding with her door as she reached for the phone that sat in the center console. He sighed, running a hand down his face. What the hell was wrong with him? He didn't feel—not like this.

And yet he felt the strongest urge to make the shadows in her eyes disappear.

She sighed next to him, her eyes glancing at the screen in her hand. "It's Stefan," she said softly, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Of course. Mr. Salvatore," Klaus said, his fingers tapping against his knee as he looked out the windshield. "Well, as you said, love. Can't keep them waiting. My sister doesn't have the gift of patience, in case you hadn't noticed." He glanced over at her once more, seeing her gaze fixed on anything but him, and he knew that the wall that had crumbled moments before had been erected again. He sighed, reaching for the handle and shouldering open the door. He looked over his shoulder. Caroline's eyes were glued to the phone in her hand, her thumb hovering over the Talk key. He leaned towards her then, neck craning, and he met her eyes when her head shot up. "These people? This town? They don't matter, Caroline," he said, his voice low and raspy, betraying just how much conviction his words held to him. "Don't let them imprison you, love. You're meant for so much more."

And then he was gone, the door slamming shut before Caroline could even open her mouth to utter a reply. She watched as Klaus strode into the garage, not even sparing a backwards glance to her. She sighed, her eyes staying with him until he disappeared through the entrance. His words coursed through her head. She couldn't wrap her mind around it. Around him. Niklaus Mikaelson.

She jumped when the phone in her hand starting ringing again, and she sighed, running a hand through her hair as she raised it to her ear.

"Caroline?" Stefan's voice called from the other end. "Is everything ok? You didn't answer your phone."

"Sorry, Stefan," Caroline replied, her head falling back to rest against the back of the seat. "I was…in the middle of something."

But the middle of what, she had no idea.

Stefan was silent on his end, the sound of his steady breathing the only thing she heard. "Care…are you alright?"

She closed her eyes, silently cursing her bond with Stefan Salvatore. They'd been friends for so long, nothing got by them. Not when it came to the other. Stefan could hear the defeat in her voice. Could hear the pain and the memories and everything she'd been feeling since driving back into Mystic Falls. And she knew she couldn't lie to him. She'd never been able to lie to him.

And he'd never been able to break a promise to her.

It was a trait she relied on. A trait she desperately prayed he would never lose.

"Not really," she finally conceded, the sound of a door slamming shut snapping her eyes open, and she watched as Klaus made his way to his truck, his hand tucking his wallet into the back pocket of his jeans. His gaze stayed straight ahead, never venturing towards her, and she swallowed the lump of disappointment she felt. She sighed, shaking her head. "But I'll get through it."

Klaus slid into his truck, the roar of the engine igniting, and finally his eyes flicked towards hers. Their gazes met through the windshields, both seeming to search for something—anything.

But Caroline was afraid she didn't have anything to give anymore.

She sighed again, sinking further into her seat as her eyes stayed fixed on Klaus.

"I always get through it."

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**So…yes. Those of you who guessed that Caroline was involved in the car crash that killed Elena and her parents were right. I love Elena as much as the next girl, but her death was necessary for the story. We'll start to see a bit more of the town's reaction towards Caroline, as well as another certain someone who Caroline is absolutely dreading running into. (Any guesses as to who?)**

**Also, we got a glimpse of our first real Klaroline moment this chapter. And seriously, who doesn't dig the serious eye sex that Klaus and Caroline have every time they see each other. (Come on…don't lie. You live for the eye sex.)**

**Hopefully this chapter wasn't too angsty. I promise that it will get a bit more light hearted, especially after we delve a bit more into Caroline—and Klaus'—past.**

**Soon to come: An appearance by Tyler, some other familiar faces, cake testing, and—dun dun dun—the arrival of the rest of the Mikaelson clan!**

**Please review and let me know what you guys think!**

**Follow me on Tumblr: klarolineepiclove**


	6. Chapter 6

**Rescue Me**

**A.N. As always, you guys are amazing.**

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Klaus lied in the darkness, his eyes fixed on the ceiling above his bed.

He hated the dark. Those moments right before you slipped into sleep, where your thoughts ran rampart. Every memory, every thought, all rushing to the surface of your mind. And him being helpless to stop them.

He shifted slightly, his arms resting behind his head as his eyes stared at nothing. A sigh escaped his lips as he let his mind wander to the events of the last few days. His visit to Mystic Falls had quickly become much more complicated than he wished.

Rebekah had been hounding him for details since he arrived. Always asking where he'd been. What had he been doing. What could possibly have been so important that he abandoned their family for so long, without even a word in between.

"It's not important, Bekah," he would stress every time her blue eyes stared up at him. She looked so much like the baby sister he'd left behind in those moments, clutching at his hand as they ran through the house from Elijah, who always found time to indulge in the youngest Mikaelson's childish games. Which was why it was so important to him to never have to break the truth to her. "I'm here now. We're a family once more. None of that matters."

He knew she'd have questions. Knew she'd voice them, every chance she got. He just didn't know how long she'd accept his deflections.

Then, of course, there was the matter of Caroline.

Klaus sighed again, shutting his eyes as images of the blonde haired beauty assaulted his mind. She infuriated him. Every word out of her mouth, every glance she sent in his direction. Every flicker of emotion across her face…it all drove him crazy.

She was a complication he didn't see coming.

He thought back on his conversation with Damon Salvatore, and his conversation with Caroline in the car soon afterwards. He hadn't missed the devastation that fell over her expression when he'd turned to face her. She'd put the pieces together quickly, noticing the drink in Damon's hand and his own quiet reflection as he'd taken her in. It wasn't that he'd seen her differently after hearing the story. He just couldn't comprehend what the Salvatore brother had said. Caroline Forbes wasn't capable of murder.

An accident. It must have been an accident of some kind. Something beyond her control, which was why it ate away at her so badly. The thought that she could have done something—anything—to prevent it.

It was an emotion he was quite familiar with.

Running a hand down his face, Klaus let out a load groan, his free fist clenching the comforter underneath him.

What the hell was wrong with him? This didn't happen to him. He didn't care. Certainly not about someone he had met a mere few days ago. He didn't feel. He certainly didn't find ways he was similar with them. He'd been living his life a certain way these last few years. Not a care in the world. Not a worry or fear. Nothing but his own interest at heart.

And one bounce of the luscious blonde curls and a blink of those cornflower blue eyes, and suddenly he was rethinking everything.

Pulling himself into a sitting position, he surveyed the dark room around him. Knowing sleep would once again be eluding him, he threw his legs over the side of the bed, resting his elbows on his knees as he sighed. "'Time heals all wounds,'" he murmured softly in the darkness. "If I ever meet the bloke who said that, I'll bloody kill him."

Sighing, he rose to his feet, the light casting shadows across his bare chest as he padded his way to the bedroom door. He silently pulled it open, his eyes adjusting the darkness in the hall, and he made his way towards the staircase, running a hand down his face. He should be used to these sleepless nights. He should be used to staying awake simply to escape the nightmares. But even if years of experience should have proved otherwise, they were slowly taking a toll. He longed for the night he could sleep peacefully. A blessed eight hours.

Stepping down onto the landing of the foyer, a faint clanking noise from the kitchen made his brow furrow. His bare feet were silent against the wooden floor as he maneuvered his way through the old boarding house. Years of instinct and survival had him creeping down the hall, senses alert for any sign of danger or an intruder. As he peered around the corner, he relaxed, but just slightly.

Because the sight of Caroline's barely there sleepwear wasn't something he would call settling.

She was leaning against the counter, her chin propped on her elbow, as waited for the tea kettle that sat upon the stove to whistle. Her long legs were on display beneath a pair of baby blue sleep shorts, barely reaching past her thighs. A matching tank top clung to her torso. The whole thing left very little to the imagination. The nearly see-through white robe that hung loosely off her frame certainly wasn't helping matters.

Klaus swallowed the lump in his throat as his eyes feasted over her, her attentions till diverted by the heating kettle. She hadn't said a word to him once they arrived back at the boarding house. He'd followed her in his truck, knuckles nearly stark white against the steering wheel as he gripped it tightly. It angered him, the way she had just let the whole town look down on her and whisper behind her back. Couldn't she see how magnificent she was? And that thought had only further infuriated him. He didn't care for this girl. He COULDN'T care for this girl.

And yet as he stood there watching her, he was starting to doubt that was the truth.

Taking a step further into the kitchen, he saw her head perk up and turn in his direction. Her long blonde hair was tied up in a loose bun on her head, a few tendrils framing her make-up free face. Her blue eyes—just as big and blue as ever—were tired, dark shadows clouding underneath them. She straightened to her full height, her hands gripping the edges of her robe and attempting to pull them around her body. It wasn't helping, he made a mental note watching her tie the sash loosely around her waist.

"Trouble sleeping?" she asked quietly, her eyes downcast as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Klaus smirked, nodding as he stepped further into the kitchen. "A common occurrence, I'm afraid," he said.

Caroline kept her eyes fixed on anything but Klaus' bare chest. It was proving difficult. Her eyes couldn't help but graze the flat planes of his torso. A light smattering of hair trailed down the center of his chest, narrowing before it disappeared beneath the waistband of his black sleep pants. She could see a small array of tiny scars across his abdomen, and couldn't help but wonder what made them. But none caught her attention as much as the long, jagged scar that ran across his side, nearly wrapping around his back. It looked like it had been painful, and she felt a small pang in the bottom of her heart at the thought of him in pain.

The sound of a throat clearing stopped her examination, and she hastily raised her eyes to see a smirk tugging at the corners of Klaus' mouth, and she knew he had noticed her ogling. She laughed nervously, tucking a flyaway strand of hair behind her ear, and motioned towards the stovetop. "Guess we're in the same boat, then," she said, glancing at him over her shoulder. "Tea was always a sure fire way to knock me and Stefan out when we were kids. And teenagers. Though…our teen years it was more the vodka mixed with the tea that did the trick."

Klaus chuckled behind her, and she smiled, shrugging. "Want a cup?"

"Vodka included?"

She laughed, nodding. "Vodka included."

Klaus made his way over to her, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned his back against the counter. He watched as she pulled out another tea cup and added a bag to it before measuring out the boiled water. Reaching across the counter, she lid a clear, plastic bottle towards her, and smiled to herself as she twisted off the top and added a large dollop to each cup. She picked both cups up and, spinning slightly on her heel, faced him and held one out to him. He met her eyes for a brief moment before she dropped them again, her gaze riveted on the cup she was slowly bringing to her lips.

They stood there for a few long moments, leaning against the counter, sipping their spiked beverages before Caroline raised her head with a sigh. "Look, I'm…I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier. In the car." She shrugged when he raised his eyes to hers. "I was kind of a bitch…which is an unattractive trail of mine that seems to come out around you Mikaelsons."

Klaus smiled, nodding. "Well, we bring out the worst in people," he said, his eyes frantically taking in the smile that flashed quickly across her face. "But you don't have a reason to apologize, Caroline. I overstepped by bounds this afternoon."

Caroline shrugged, tapping her fingers against the porcelain cup. "I can't really blame you," she laughed quietly. "I mean, someone tells you that the crazy, neurotic blonde giving you a ride into town was a murderer, I'd ask questions too." She sighed, risking a glance up at him. His eyes were staring at her intensely, and she felt that familiar chill slide down her spine. She shrugged. "I don't know, I guess I just kind of liked the idea of one person not looking at me like I was some horrible monster or something."

Her voice was soft as she spoke, causing Klaus' brow to furrow slightly. Once again, that nagging feeling to make everything better for this girl was edging its way into his mind. "Will you tell me what happened?" he asked softly.

She looked up at him, taking a deep breath and holding it for a moment before slowly letting it out. "It was the night of graduation. There had been this big end of high school celebration at the Falls, and I was on my way home. I'd drank too much." She pressed her lips together as she stared at something over his shoulder. "Way too much." The way her sentence slightly trailed off at the end, he knew she wasn't standing with him in the kitchen that moment. Instead she was back there, at 17 years old, reliving what he was sure was the worst moment of her life. "I was stupid and got behind the wheel of the car. I don't really remember much after turning onto the main road back into town, and starting across the Wickery Bridge. I must have…passed out or something, because the next thing I knew I was coming to and my car was smashed against the railing…"

She closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly. "There was this gaping hole…in the railing. So I got out and looked down and there was Elena's car…submerged in the river. I don't even remember seeing them or hitting them, but…I did." She let out a shaky sigh, her hands tightening around the cup in her hands to keep them from shaking. "By the time the police showed up, there wasn't anything they could do. They were gone."

Klaus was silent as she spoke, but when she dropped her teary gaze to the cup in her hands, he nodded. "So it was an accident then."

Caroline shrugged, her head dipping lower as she brought the tea to her lips again.

Klaus set his own cup down on the counter before reaching out, closing his fingers around hers. He felt her freeze at his touch, and he came a step closer to her as he slowly pulled the cup from her grasp, his eyes never leaving her face. He set it down gently on the counter next to his. He turned back to her, watching as she laced and unlanced her fingers together, eyes riveted on the floor beneath their feet. He reached out slowly, covering her fidgeting hands with one of his own, while the other reached up and gently pushed a curl out of her eyes. He lowered his head until her blue eyes slowly raised to meet his, glistening with unshed tears he could see her fighting against.

"It was an accident, Caroline," he said softly. "A horrible, tragic accident, but an accident all the same. It's not something to let haunt you forever."

He said the words, even though he knew they were a lie. He knew better than anyone how something that was beyond your control could haunt you every second.

But that was him. He didn't want that for Caroline.

"Yeah," she said, her voice barely a whisper, and she tried not to focus on how good his roughened hand felt against her own, or the way his thumb was absentmindedly tracing a soothing pattern against the side of her palm. She shook her head, quickly dropping her hands to her sides. "Anyway, everything after that was kind of a blur, but from what I gather, given the fact that I was the sheriff's daughter and my family had the whole 'founding family, town royalty' thing going, I got off far easier than I probably should have. And after that, no one in town could look me in the face. So I left."

"And now you're back."

She nodded. "Now I'm back." She bit her lip, watching as his eyes traced every inch of her face, and she wished she could tell what he was thinking. He wasn't looking at her any differently. If anything, he was looking at her in understanding. Like he actually could relate to her. And it made her wonder exactly what it was that had kept him so distanced from Rebekah for so long. She shook her head, then, smiling, and shrugged her shoulders. "Anyway, I've now apologized for my bitch fit. You now know why exactly said bitch fit happened. So, maybe now we can start over."

He raised an eyebrow at her words, and then smirked slightly when she stuck her hand out, a bright smile on her face. "Hi. I'm Caroline Forbes," she said, taking his hand in hers and giving it a slow shake. "Former Miss Mystic Falls and current outcast of our little town."

Klaus laughed softly, wrapping his fingers around her hand as he returned her shake. "Niklaus Mikaelson," he replied, smiling. "Prodigal brother of the bride and pestering jackass who knows no bounds." He grinned at her small peal of laughter. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Caroline."

He watched her smile softly at him, her hand still enclosed in his. "You too, Klaus."

They stayed there looking at each other, lukewarm tea long forgotten on the kitchen counter, and Caroline couldn't help the way the her breath caught in her throat at the intense look in his eyes. It was as if he was staring past every defense she had, peering into the darkest parts of her soul, trying to unearth every secret she kept hidden. She could feel his fingers gently trace the curve of her hand, and her own fingers reacted unconsciously, tracing his knuckles in a slow pattern. She could swear her heart was bound to beat out of her chest, and she wondered if he was able to hear the way it pounded when he took that small step towards her. His head was slowly dipping down towards hers as his hand came up to softly grasp her cheek. She felt his hand give hers a gentle, barely noticeable tug, and she found herself stepping into him, their chests barely brushing as she stared up at him.

He was going to kiss her, she knew. She could feel his breath ghosting across her face as he leaned down, his thumb caressing her cheek softly, and she closed her eyes, tilting her head up the smallest bit.

A loud crash from the hallway broke them apart, Caroline ripping her hand from his and taking a step back until she was flush against the counter. She could hear the irritated growl that left Klaus' lips, and she took a deep breath as she turned to the kitchen doorway to see Damon staggering in, his jacket half hanging off his shoulders as he ran a hand through his hair. She sighed, noticing his bloodshot eyes and the smell of whiskey that could be detected from the other side of the room.

"Well, well," he slurred, his lips quirking up into a patronizing smirk as he set his eyes on the two flushed forms against the counter. "Isn't this cozy?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Caroline shook her head. "You're drunk, Damon."

"Very much so," Damon replied, throwing himself into a kitchen chair with a groan as he finally pulled his arms free of his jacket. "Thank you for noticing, Blondie. So….whatcha guys up to?" He made an exaggerated motion with his eyebrows, and Caroline could clearly feel her face heating up as she cast a sidelong glance at Klaus. His eyes were staring off into the hallway, jaw clenched tightly. "Oh, come on now, Caroline. It's not like your sixteen anymore. You could prance around here naked, no one would think any less of you. Besides," he added, his lips quirking up into seductive smile. "Nothin' I haven't seen before."

Caroline let out a mortified scoff, her eyes narrowing at the smirking drunkard as she shook her head. She shifted on her feet, daring a glimpse at the blonde man that stood at her side, and she was shocked to see a look of sheer rage on his handsome face. His lips—the ones that she had been so desperate to have brush against hers just moments ago—were pressed into a tight, thin line. His eyes that had been staring intently into hers were narrowed in Damon's direction.

If looks could kill, the Salvatore family would be down one brother.

Damon laughed, oblivious to the looks of hatred that were being directed towards him, and shakily rose to his feet, his hands gripping the underside of the table tightly as he swayed unsteadily. "Alright…I get it. I know when I'm not wanted. You two kids…have a grrreat night."

Caroline watched as Damon stumbled down the hallway. She knew he wouldn't make it past the couch, and that his lewd reminders of their sordid past would slip his memory by the morning. She sighed, raising her hands to her face. Her fingers gently covered her eyes before they slid up to her temples. The silence that had settled between her and Klaus was deafening. She struggled to find the words to say. To explain.

"You and Damon?" Klaus suddenly asked, his voice low as his eyes continued to stare down the now empty hallway.

She sighed, turning to face him. "It was a…mistake," she said softly, shaking her head. "A stupid, stupid, teenage mistake. I was just…stupid." She finished the sentence in barely a whisper, a small, mocking smile on her face.

She jumped when she suddenly felt his fingers graze her cheek, and her eyes darted up to look into his face.

His eyes were searching hers, his head tilted, chin low. "You hide so much behind that lovely smile, Caroline Forbes."

Caroline fought the shiver that made its way down her spine at his soft touch, his lilting voice. She arched an eyebrow, her lips slightly turning up into a smile. "Do lines like that really work for you, Mikaelson?"

Klaus grinned, dropping his hand to his side. "You tell me, love."

A bubbly laugh escaped her lips, and she shook her head, taking a step back. "Oh, please," she said, crossing her arms over her chest as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She tilted her head, peering up at him with a coy smile. "I'm too smart to be seduced by you."

Klaus' grin widened, and he shrugged. "Well, that's why I like you."

Caroline laughed quietly, dropping her gaze as she felt her cheeks heat up at his compliment—was it a compliment? Of course it wasn't. This was Klaus, after all. Rebekah's brother. Gloating jerk with a sick sense of humor.

Who had tried to kiss her.

Good God, her head hurt.

She sighed, her fingers fiddling with the sash at her waist, and she looked up at him. "Well, it's late. Or…early, depending on how you look at it, I guess. So…I should be getting to bed."

Klaus nodded, trying to push the thoughts of her in HIS bed from his mind. Thoughts like that were what landed a man in trouble. His eyes traveled down the length of her body once more as he took a step back.

They might lead to trouble, but is sure as hell would be a fun ride getting there.

"Good night, Caroline."

Caroline nodded, watching as he turned and headed towards the door of the kitchen, the muscles in his back flexing with every step he took.

"Goodnight, Klaus," she said quietly.

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Muffled bickering greeted Caroline as she stepped out into the hall the next morning, pulling her long hair into a ponytail as she made her way towards the staircase. She could make out the voices of Stefan and Rebekah, and from the hushed, angry tones, she was guessing that the lovebirds were having a bit of lover's spat.

"Trouble in paradise already."

She jumped at the sound of Klaus' voice, halting her steps to turn and face him as he stepped out of his own bedroom. She could feel her face flush as she thought back on their close call in the kitchen early this morning. She could still feel his touch on her face, and the intensity of his gaze. A gaze that now was looking at her quizzically, and she shook herself from her reverie, looking over her shoulder towards the staircase. "What, this? Oh, this is nothing. You should have been there for the great Wardrobe Fiasco a few months ago." At his frown, she laughed. "Let's just say that Stefan still hasn't gotten that whole 'if a girl asks if this dress makes her look fat, deny, deny, deny' thing down just yet."

Klaus nodded in sudden understanding, and she guessed that it wasn't an unexperienced event for him. Given the fact that Rebekah had four older brothers, she didn't assume fashion talk was a common occurrence in the Mikaelson household.

Smiling, she turned on her heel and resumed her path to the staircase, and she could hear his footsteps follow closely behind her. She let her hand trail along the railing of the massive staircase as she skipped down it, shifting her gaze so she peer around the corner at the still bickering couple standing in the foyer.

Stefan was pinching the bridge of his nose, one arm wrapped around his chest as he shook his head. His feet were spread apart, his back ramrod straight. It was a defensive pose if she had ever seen one. Rebekah stood in front of him, hands on her hips, head tilted defiantly up so she could stare him down.

Caroline's frown deepened as she neared the bottom of the stairs, their angry, hushed whispers clearer.

"Rebekah, I thought we'd agreed yesterday…" Stefan was saying.

"No, YOU suggested it," Rebekah interjected, pointing an accusatory finger towards her fiancée. "It's one bloody photographer, Stefan. One whose work far outweighed anyone else's that we looked at."

"It's not just 'one photographer,'" Stefan said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Okay? Having him do this? It's going to cause a lot of tension. Tension that we agreed yesterday we would avoid. We saw four other photographers this week, Bex."

"Well, I liked this one," Rebekah said, her lips curving up into a smile. "He's good, he's cheap, and he's dashing enough to blend in well at the ceremony. It's my wedding, so Caroline will just have to get over whatever little issues she has."

Caroline stopped in her tracks at the mention of her name.

They were fighting about her? What issues? And with whom?

She felt Klaus come to a stop behind her just as the doorbell rang.

"There, that'll be him," Rebekah announced, spinning on her heel and heading towards the door, leaving Stefan to sigh as he stared after her. His face tightened when he saw Caroline standing just inside the foyer.

Rebekah barely glanced at her as she glided past, but paused for a brief moment to wish her brother a good morning and press and quick kiss to his cheek before continuing on her way.

Caroline shrugged it off, walking towards Stefan with her hands out at her sides, a smile on her face. "Don't tell me we're back to the whole me being in love with you argument," she laughed, her ponytail swaying as she shook her head. "Here I thought we'd moved past that and onto, 'now she's just annoying.'"

Stefan sighed, taking a few steps towards her, and she felt the smile slide off her face at the look of remorse she saw on her best friend's face.

"Stefan?" she asked, her hands dropping to her sides.

"Care," Stefan began, shaking his head as he struggled to form the words he wanted to say. The slamming of the front door made him wince, and he closed his eyes as he heard the new set of footsteps following Rebekah into the house. He sighed, opening his eyes to see Caroline's confused face staring at him, and he took another step towards her. "Caroline, I'm so sorry," he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear.

Caroline frowned, a question on her tongue, but when his eyes settled on something over her shoulder, she turned around.

And promptly felt her heart stop in her chest.

Standing there, just behind Klaus, was Rebekah, a pleasant smile on her face as she spoke quietly with a young man at her side.

His condescending eyes were fixed squarely on her, and odd set to his jaw as his hands gripped the strap of his messenger bag tightly. He looked different—older. Nothing like the gangly, awkward teenager he'd been when she'd first left Mystic Falls. Nothing like the devastated, mourning kid she'd watched sadly at his family's funeral.

No, Jeremy Gilbert had grown up. Gone were the baggy clothes and Goth nail polish. Gone was the shaggy hair and the cigarette perched behind his ear. Gone was the look of grief and loss in his eyes.

Instead she only saw anger and resentment.

And as she felt Stefan's hand come to rest reassuringly against her back, she knew that all of that emotion was solely aimed at her.

**00000000000000**

**Okay…please please, PLEASE tell me if you hated this chapter. Because it was seriously a bitch to write. I knew what I wanted to say, but the words would just not come out, so I'm left with something that kind of resembles it, but not in the way I envisioned.**

**So yeah…blah.**

**Anywho, sorry the update took longer than usual! I'm hoping to have the next chapter edited and ready to go by next weekend, so in the meantime, please let me know what you think!**

**Up next: Klaus gets protective, Caroline faces more of her demons, and an unexpected appearance answers some lingering questions…dun dun dun!**

**Follow me on tumblr! klarolineepiclove**


	7. Chapter 7

**Rescue Me**

**A.N. I am in awe of you all. You are amazing.**

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The atmosphere in the room had shifted, leaving a tense, silent moment in its wake, and Klaus found himself shifting his gaze between the young man that stood next to his sister and Caroline, who stood frozen with a devastated look on her face next to Stefan.

He watched as the color drained from Caroline's lovely face, and the way her spine straightened, as if she were preparing for a confrontation. His eyes didn't miss the way Stefan's arm was protectively pressed against her back, either, and he bit his tongue when he felt a surge of jealously rise up.

Tearing his gaze away, he returned his attention to the newcomer. Clearly he was young, a few years younger than Rebekah and Caroline, he'd wager. He was dressed in the typical college student attire: T-shirt, baggy jeans, messenger bag slung over his shoulder. His face, though, led Klaus to believe that, despite his age, the lad felt much older than his 20 odd years. His face was weary. His eyes, dark and brown, were clouded with emotion—which emotion was anyone's guess. And they were cold. Unforgiving.

And focused on Caroline.

"Stefan," Rebekah said, propping a hand on her hip. One perfectly shaped eyebrow was arched as her blue eyes took in the sight of her fiancé standing so closely to the other blonde. "You remember Jeremy Gilbert from the other day?"

_Jeremy Gilbert._

_Gilbert._

_Of the Golden Family of Mystic Falls._

Klaus shut his eyes, his jaw clenched as everything suddenly fell into place. The argument between Stefan and Rebekah, Caroline's reaction to seeing the young man standing behind her. Jeremy's evident disdain for the young blonde across the room. Jeremy Gilbert, younger brother of Elena Gilbert, who'd perished with her parents one fateful night on Wickery Bridge. The last surviving member of the Gilbert family.

He'd never wanted to throttle his sister more than he did in that moment.

He heard Stefan clear his throat and he opened his eyes, returning his gaze to Caroline again. She'd taken a step back, further into the room, her arms crossed protectively across her chest, gaze downcast as she avoided looking at the young man in front of her.

"Jeremy," Stefan said softly, taking a step forward. "It's good to see you again."

Jeremy nodded, finally breaking his death glare, and turned to Stefan. "Yeah, you, too," he said, making quick work of the two stairs that led into the foyer. "Thanks for giving me the shot. It'll look great for my end-of-the-year portfolio. And it's pretty much the most talked about event in Mystic Falls, so who wouldn't want to be involved?"

Stefan smiled, nodding. "No problem. Couldn't really say no to Rebekah," he said, his voice lilting slightly at the his fiancée's name as he met her eyes over Jeremy's shoulder. She merely glared at him, shaking her head slightly. "It's her dream wedding, so. I'm sure you'll do fantastic though. You always had a good eye."

He was angry, Klaus realized. Clearly, he'd been trying to spare Caroline the ordeal of facing Jeremy. He'd obviously fought against using the Gilbert boy, talented he may be, knowing that, as the photographer, his path would cross with hers constantly. And clearly, Rebekah had completely ignored his plea.

Klaus wondered just how much his sister knew of Caroline's past with this town. Surely his baby sister wasn't as heartless as she was appearing now, if she knew the truth.

Though, given the genes that ran in the Mikaelson family, he supposed he wouldn't be horribly surprised.

He looked over at Caroline again. She was standing next to the fireplace now, arms wrapped tightly around her waist. He could see her chest heaving from where he stood, and he could only imagine what she was feeling in that moment. He wanted to cross the room and pull her into his arms, race her out of the Boarding House and far away. Away from Jeremy Gilbert's hate-filled gaze and Rebekah's insecure, jealous tendencies.

"Of course he will," Rebekah proclaimed, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor as she made her way into the foyer. "I wouldn't have picked him otherwise. Now, shall we get on with it? I wanted to run through how the ceremony will go, and what I know I want photographed. Then we can go over everything else—the mingling and whatnot. Sound good?"

Jeremy nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah, sounds great. Lead the way."

Rebekah smiled at him as she headed towards the hallway, allowing him to pass by her when she stopped to look over her shoulder. "Stefan?"

Klaus watched as Stefan stood in the center of the room, equal distance from Rebekah and Caroline, and the image wasn't lost on him. The younger man's face showed how clearly torn he was as he glanced between the two blondes, brow furrowed and jaw set tight. He didn't envy him, in that moment. Torn between the two of them, both of whom meant more to him than life itself, he was sure.

Caroline weak-hearted sigh saved Stefan from his moment of torment. "It's okay, Stefan," she said softly, her body still rigid as she continued to face the fireplace. "Go on, I'll be fine. We'll talk later."

Stefan hesitated, his hands clenching at his sides as he stared at her back. She wasn't fine. She wasn't going to be fine. This was a slap in the face she hadn't been prepared for. He knew that. He knew that she was hanging by a thread just then, on the verge of tears or screams. And it killed him that Rebekah had been the cause of it.

He sighed, nodding his head in resignation, before he turned on his heel and headed towards the hallway, running a hand through his hair as he did. He didn't return Rebekah's smile as he approached her, and he didn't react when it fell quickly from her face at his coldness. He stopped when he came to Klaus' side, meeting his gaze before glancing over at Caroline again. "Get her out of here, will you?" he asked quietly, a plea in his voice, and Klaus silently wondered if Stefan knew that he was now in on Caroline's secret.

Klaus merely nodded, watching as the Salvatore boy strode purposefully past his sister, whose mouth dropped open at her fiancé's abrupt departure. She shook her head, long blonde hair curling over her shoulder, before she let out a frustrated sigh and followed his footsteps, not even managing a glimpse into the room behind her.

Klaus stared after her for a long moment, swallowing down his anger and making a mental note to have a long chat with his dear little sister, before he turned his gaze back to the distraught blonde by the fireplace.

Caroline's back was still to the room, though she'd shifted now, so one shoulder was braced against the brick and mortar. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around her waist, her hands clenching tightly to the fabric of her shirt. Her breathing had slowed, he realized as he took a few hesitant steps towards her, and he heard her sigh wearily. He stopped just behind her, his hands halfway outstretched towards her. "Caroline," he said softly, reaching out and letting one hand rest gently against her shoulder.

She gently jerked away from him, turning around. Her blue eyes were clouded with unshed tears, her face a mixture of grief and guilt, and another emotion that Klaus couldn't quite identify. She swiped at the hair that fell into her eyes, those few strands that never wanted to obey when she pulled it back. "Don't, I'm fine," she stressed, though her voice sounded unsure. "Just…just get me out of here, okay?"

Klaus nodded, noticing the desperate plea in her voice, and he stepped aside so she could walk quickly towards the door, her hands swiping at her cheeks as she went.

He felt that twinge in his chest again. That obvious protectiveness he'd found himself feeling towards Caroline Forbes since the afternoon outside the body shop.

He shook his head, pushing it down and out of his mind, before he followed her out the door, grabbing his keys from the corner table.

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For once in his life, it was Klaus that was hated the awkward silence.

"Just drive," she'd told him as she shut the door to his truck, her hands shaking as she fastened the seatbelt around her. She'd turned from him as he climbed behind the wheel, hunching her body against the passenger door and resting her forehead against the window.

So drive he did. The car was silent, apart from Caroline's voice randomly telling him when and where to turn. He didn't know where she was taking them, and honestly wondered if she even did, but he kept his concerns to himself. He knew she needed the silence then. Knew she needed to come to terms with the thoughts racing through her head before she could even begin to talk to him.

If she even wanted to talk to him.

They were strangers, he remembered. They'd barely known each other a week. They were mere housemates. Barely acquaintances, both of whom just happened to be in town for the same event. He didn't know anything about her.

And yet, he desired to learn EVERYTHING he could about her.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She'd relaxed a little during the drive. Her heavy, hectic breathing had slowed to its regular rhythm, and her hands were once again steady as they rested, one on her lap, the other against the window next to her face. He'd heard her let out a few calming breaths now and then, though in the last few minutes she'd lapsed into silence.

"Care to tell me where we're going, love?" he asked softly, his gaze returning to the off-beaten path in front of them. "Not that the scenery isn't lovely to gawk at, but I'd like to know if I'm about to drive into a lake or something of the sort."

Caroline laughed softly next to him. "To the Falls," she answered, straightening in her seat and facing forward. "Stefan and I used to go there all the time. Everyone did really."

Klaus nodded, tapping his thumb against the steering wheel. "So…I would have driven right into a lake then?"

She giggled, rolling her eyes. "I would have stopped you before you did, dumdum."

Her laugh was one of his favorite sounds, he decided, laughing softly. He couldn't deny that it was a relief to see her smile again. She was so bright. So stunning. Sadness didn't suit her.

"So, Jeremy is Elena's brother," she said after a moment, her gaze riveted on her folded hands in her lap.

"I gathered as much."

"He was 16 when they died," she continued, raising her gaze to follow the scenery as it flew passed the windows. "He'd gone to live with his Aunt Jenna in Colorado. I thought he was still in school there. I…didn't even know he'd come back home, let alone…"

She trailed off, and once again Klaus reminded himself that he needed to have a discussion with Rebekah about her silly jealousy over Caroline.

"Anyway, thanks for rescuing me."

Klaus smiled. "Well, I thought it was only right to return the favor, considering you did the same for me on the side of the road just days ago. Though that was after you threatened me with deadly harm."

She looked at him, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Your stun gun."

She stared at him a moment, eyes moving between him and the windshield, before the memory of their first exchange came to mind. She laughed, swiping a hand at the hair that fell into her eyes, and nodded, quickly recovering her story from that early morning just outside of Mystic Falls. "Right, yeah. Stun gun. Well, you know, you just never know when you're gonna need that little extra shock."

He grinned, shaking his head. "Oh, trust me, love, you don't need that 'little extra shock' in any way."

Caroline scoffed, shaking her head, but unable to stop the small smile that spread across her face. That fluttering feeling in her chest and stomach was back. That ridiculous feeling that made her feel like she was 16 all over again. She cleared her throat, pushing the feeling to the back of her mind, and pointing to the clearing in front of them. "You can pull over up here."

He did as she instructed, shifting the truck into park and shutting of the ignition. He settled back into his seat, the leather squeaking slightly as he shifted. He turned his head, leaning one shoulder against the door behind him, and looked at Caroline. He could see her shooting his quick glances out of the corner of her eye, and her foot was tapping nervously against the floor of the car. He made her nervous. _Fantastic,_ he thought, smirking, as he let his gaze wander over the scene in front of him. It really was beautiful.

"So, I can't help but notice that you are really understanding about my whole…situation," Caroline said suddenly, causing Klaus to swing his head back around to look at her. She shrugged, smiling. "I'm just saying, you know. Most people probably would have run for the hills by now. Or you know, called me 'killer' or 'murderer' or something."

His fingers were tapping against the his knee, an unsteady rhythm. _Tap, tap, tap. _She was looking at him in anticipation, her blue eyes shining again, and it was a sight to behold. _Tap, tap, tap. _She wanted to know why. Maybe she suspected that they weren't all that different. That maybe he harbored a deep, dark secret, too. Which was true. He did. But not like hers. No, his was worse.

And, like her fears earlier, he didn't want to see the look in her eyes change towards him when she found it out.

"You're not the only one with a shady past, Caroline," he said finally, softly, letting his eyes rake over her beautiful face as she looked at him. If she knew the truth, she'd be the one running. He was sure of it. "We've all done things. Some just worse than others."

Caroline nodded. "So…you can relate then. In a way."

"In a way, yes, I suppose I can."

Caroline titled her head to the side, taking in his chiseled profile; the way his eyes seemed to stare into hers, the way his lips quirked up slightly when their eyes met at the same time. "Why are you so nice to me?" she asked, smiling softly. "I mean, I've pretty much been nothing but a bitch to you since you got into town. So…why rescue me and talk to me and…make me feel like I'm not the horrible person everyone makes me feel like I am?"

Klaus shrugged, his lips quirking up into a smile as he kept his gaze fixed on hers. "I fancy you."

She straightened in her seat, letting out a quiet, soft scoff.

"Is that so hard to believe?" he asked, taking in her sudden change. She only laughed, shaking her head. "You're beautiful, you're strong, you're full of light." She turned her head to look at him again, a small, slightly embarrassed smile on her face, and he smiled. "I enjoy you."

Caroline laughed, running a hand down her ponytail as she looked at him. She laughed again, reaching for the handle at her side and shouldering the door open. "You're just…you're crazy, Klaus."

Klaus smiled, watching as she walked further down the path, her blonde ponytail swinging with her every step. What was this one, small town girl doing to him? He shook his head, pushing open his own door and striding purposefully after her. "You should learn to take a compliment, Caroline," he said, falling into step next to her. "I don't give them often."

"Oh, so I guess I should feel super privileged then, huh?" Caroline asked, glancing over at him. "You know, you are like this giant, chiseled walking contradiction, Klaus. One minute you're all snarky and smirking, being a major jerk, then suddenly you're all sweet and nice and 'I fancy you, Caroline.' Then you make some arrogant comment that just reverts you right back to the jerk. It's driving me crazy."

"Chiseled?"

Caroline stopped, turning to face him, laughing up at the satisfied smirk that was clearly plastered across his face. "Seriously? That's what you take away from that rant?"

He shrugged. "Would you rather I focused on the part where you openly admitted that I drive you mad?" She made a sound then, a cross between a scoff and a laugh, and ran her hands down the side of her face. He grinned, leaning in towards her. "It's out in the open now, love, you can't take it back."

She looked up at him, shaking her head, and shoved him back by his shoulders, causing him the let out a loud laugh. "Clearly, you misunderstood. It was crazy in the bad kind of way. Like I wanna rip my hair out and strangle you with it. Not the…you're crazy hot so let's go nuts kind of…crazy."

His eyes gleamed in the midmorning sun, and his smug, arrogant, _goddamn sexy_ smirk grew. "Thin line between love and hate, darling."

"You're insufferable!" Caroline half yelled, half laughed, refusing to admit just how much she enjoyed sparring with him. Really, this was the most fun she'd had in a long time. It wasn't flirting really. More like…word play.

"Why are you so hesitant to admit that you find me attractive?" Klaus called after her, the sound of his footsteps gaining behind her quickly until they matched hers pace for pace.

"Because I don't," Caroline fired back, the lie nearly burning her tongue the second it was uttered.

"Our little exchange in the kitchen last night says otherwise." That comment made her halt in her steps, and she whirled to face him, her mouth agape, unable to come up with a single response. Klaus grinned, knowing he'd caught her just then. He held his arms out at his sides, leaning his head down until he was more eyelevel with her. "Come on…take a chance, Caroline."

He took a step towards her, his grin widening when she took an equally large one back, and suddenly he was stalking her. She was flailing her hands behind her, searching for any escape route, knowing that if he kept coming, if he kept talking and telling her she was beautiful and strong, she wouldn't be able to keep up her arguments. She gasped when her back collided with the hard, scratchy bark of an oak tree, and she sent it a distasteful glance before turning her head to look at him again.

He was close—so close. Closer than last night, when the had been against the counter. His breath skirted against her cheek as he leaned down, bracing his hands against the tree next to the sides of her face.

"Look," she finally said, reaching a hand out and bracing it against his chest, pushing him back slightly. "Maybe there's a little attraction, okay? But, you know, that doesn't mean anything. I mean, Rebekah, your sister, she hates me."

"My sister and I are two separate beings, Caroline," he said, smirking down at her as she struggled to come up with some kind of argument against his accusations. Accusations that were clearly true, if her flushed face and unsteady breathing were any indication. "You'll find that we rarely share the same viewpoints or opinions. Is that honestly the best you can come up with?"

"I'm not trying to come up with—it's just we—ugh!" She smacked her hand against his chest, tossing her head back and resting it against the tree, unknowingly giving Klaus a delicious view of the curve of her neck. "This is just such a bad idea," she said under her breath, and he wondered if she was saying it to convince him or herself.

Klaus smiled, gently grasping her chin and tilting her head down until they were eyelevel again, their foreheads resting against each other. "Come on, Caroline," he said softly, his fingers releasing her chin only to graze gently over her cheek. "Give it a chance, love…I dare you."

Her eyes snapped up to meet his then, searching his face for something—what, he had no idea. And he didn't have to time to ponder on it, because before he could even form another argument to convince her, the hand that had been clenching the fabric of his shirt slid up his shoulder and to the back of his neck. He felt himself being pulled down, and he heard the words "To hell with it" slip her lips before they collided with his. He felt her sigh against him, her fingers curling into the hair at the nape of his neck, and he moaned softly, wrapping an arm tightly around her waist and bringing her flush against him.

He could feel every curve of her body through her thin t-shirt, and he let his hands spread across her back, exploring every inch he could reach. His other hand grasped her hip tightly, holding her in place against him. He felt her other hand curl its way up her chest, rising to gently caress the side of his neck.

His lips moved frantically against hers, his tongue delving into her mouth, wanting to taste every inch of her he could. She was a glorious kisser—passionate and frantic, but gentle and soothing at the same time. He could feel her heart raging against her ribcage, and he tore his lips away from hers, hearing her gulp down the air her lungs had been burning for, before he trailed a fiery trail down her neck. Her breath raged against his ear as his lips traveled further down, sucking gently at her pulse point before moving on to her collarbone.

Her fingers were digging into his shoulders through his shirt, and he groaned lowly at the light sting.

Caroline was on fire—everywhere his lips and hands touched left a scorching path in their wake. She knew this was wrong—so wrong and impulsive. She didn't do things like this. She didn't flirt with the unknown. She'd lived her life the past five years knowing exactly what was going to happen the next day. She liked having her ducks in a row, as her grandmother used to say. She liked knowing that tomorrow was going to be stable and secure.

Neither of which she felt in that moment, when Klaus' lips were sending delicious tremors through her body.

She pressed herself closer to him, pulling at the hair between her fingers to tug his face back to hers, and she laughed at the smirk she found waiting on his face. She shook her head briefly, bringing his lips back to hers.

"You're glorious," he murmured against her lips, causing her to break into a smile as she grasped his face in her hands. "You've driven me bloody insane since I saw you walk down the stairs in that red dress the first night here." He kissed her again, long and deep, before he broke away, letting his breath ghost over the shell of her ear. "Even more so when I saw it rumpled and hiked up around your thighs the next morning."

She laughed, running her hands over his broad shoulders and down the hard planes of his chest, before they came to rest against his hips, her fingers sliding themselves into his belt loops. "Wishing it was you that responsible for it instead of two bottles of champagne and haunted memories?"

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her cheek, before he pulled back to look her in the eyes again. "More than you know, love." He kissed her again, stepping into her and pushing her against the tree, until he could feel every plane of her body against his own. He'd wanted this. He NEEDED this.

A muffled shrill cut through the air, and they broke apart, both gasping for air. Caroline sighed, resting her forehead against his chin. She felt his lips press a kiss to her skin as she pulled a hand away and reached for the phone in her pocket. "It's Stefan," she said, staring down at the message displayed on her screen.

_Are you okay? –S_

She smiled, shaking her head slightly. _Always looking out for me_, she thought, sliding the phone back into her pocket as she pulled—reluctantly—away from Klaus' warm, welcoming body. She sighed, swiping again at the strands of hair that curled into her eyes, and looked up at him. His eyes were heated, scanning every inch of her face, and she could feel the heat escalate between them in a matter of seconds. "He's going to just keep at it," she said, smiling at him as she let her hand rest against his chest again. His heart was thumping against it, a steady rhythm that made her smile.

Klaus nodded, disentangling his arms from her body, and took a step back. "We should head back then," he said, waving an arm to indicate she should lead the way.

Caroline frowned, her heart dropping slightly at how he could so easily bounce back from the passion they'd just shared a mere minute ago. She scoffed, shaking her head and moved to make her way around him. She barely made it a foot away before she felt his strong fingers wrap around her wrist and tug, pulling until her back was flush against his chest, his lips grazing the skin around her ear.

"But don't think that doesn't mean we won't finish this later, sweetheart," he whispered huskily, pressing a kiss to her neck.

She felt her heartbeat race at his words, and she giggled when one strong arm wrapped around her waist for a brief moment as he deepened the kiss on her neck.

She'd forgotten how exhilarating it was to live life on the edge.

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Rebekah was waiting for them when they walked through the door of the boarding house, and Caroline didn't miss the way her narrow gaze zeroed in on their close proximity. She sighed, watching as the long haired blonde strode towards them, and she felt Klaus' hand rest reassuringly against her back for a moment. She looked at him over her shoulder, smiling softly in thanks.

"Where have you been, Nik?" Rebekah demanded, stopping just in the entryway with her hands perched on her slender hips.

Caroline pointed towards the staircase, shuffling off to the side discreetly, avoiding Rebekah's fiery gaze and the look of want she knew she'd find in Klaus' if she risked a glance in his direction. "I'm just gonna…go…find Stefan." She hurried away, wrapping her hands around her waist reassuringly as she felt Rebekah glaring a hole through her back. She knew she was being a cowards, running without facing her. But she still couldn't quite put a reign on her raging emotions from earlier, and she knew she was in no condition to go head-to-head with Rebekah Mikaelson.

Klaus watched Caroline race up the stairs, wanting his arms to be the ones wrapped around her waist, before the sound of heels against the hardwood floor tore his attention away. He turned his head to watch Rebekah storm over to him, and he sighed, crossing his arms across his chest.

"What is this, Nik?" she demanded, waving a hand in the general direction Caroline had disappeared to. "I've been calling you for over an hour, and here you come waltzing in with none other than Caroline Forbes at your side."

His eyes narrowed slightly at the way she nearly spit the name. "Rebekah…"

"Do you even understand that she's the reason Stefan and I are fighting right now?" his sister continued, as if he hadn't said anything. "It's my sodding wedding, for God's sakes, and the only thing he's concerned with is her feelings. Wanting to make sure it's not difficult for her. Because she has some sordid history with Jeremy Gilbert, suddenly the decision about MY wedding is inconsiderate and petty."

"Rebekah."

"And need I remind you, Niklaus, that you are here for ME. Not for her, for me. Your sister, in case it's slipped your mind. Why you're off gallivanting around with that little blonde trollep—"

That was enough to set him off. He stepped forward, grasping her upper arms in a solid grip, and he gave her a small shake. "Rebekah!"

She froze, her eyes wide, but the anger far from gone from her face. "What?"

"Rebekah, if you would stop being a spoiled, entitled brat for one second…"

"Don't call me a brat, I am NOT a brat!"

Klaus smirked, shrugging his shoulders. "Your little tirade just now says otherwise," he said, squeezing her shoulders gently until he felt her body relax under his grip. She let out a frustrated sigh, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"Why were you with her, Nik? Can't you see that she is ruining everything for me?"

He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before letting them drift to the stairs.

He knew she wouldn't want him to tell her. He knew she'd be upset.

But he had to get Rebekah to realize why Stefan was going through so much trouble for Caroline.

He turned back to Rebekah, his face softening slightly as he stared down into her face. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, turning her until he could lead her into the main room, pressing a soft kiss into her hair as they walked.

"We need to have a talk, little sister."

**00000000**

**FINALLY! Geez, this chapter felt like such a bitch to write. But yay, Klaroline smooches!**

**So, the last chapter, I got my first negative review. Like…ever. So I just want to take a second and apologize to anyone who might not be liking Caroline's "sordid" past in this story. Yes, it's dark, and yes, it's slightly OC for everyone's favorite bubbly blonde, but I hope it's not enough to make you guys abandon this fic, because I promise you that there's much more to it than what Caroline's admitting. There's still a lot to this story, so I really hope you guys don't let one little aspect completely turn you off to it. If you do, though, I totally understand. But, I hope you don't.**

**Anyway…I hope you guys liked it!**

**Coming up next: Rebekah maybe mellows out a little, Stefan gets protective, Klaroline gets a little *ahem* heated, and faces from the past emerge.**

**Let me know what you think!**

**Follow me on Tumblr: klarolineepiclove**


	8. Chapter 8

**Rescue Me**

**A.N. Heeeeeey! You guuuuys. You make me smile with your reviews and your alerts and your favorites. For realz. It makes my day.**

**This chapter is dedicated to KlausNCaroline, because she made me smile like a fool today when I really needed to. And if you haven't checked out her fic, On the Warpath, do it now. For realz. It'll blow your mind.**

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Stefan was waiting in Caroline's room when she pushed open the door. She couldn't help the small smile that spread across her face when she spotted him perched on the edge of her bed, his elbows on his knees, chin resting on his clasped hands, his brow furrowed in that familiar Stefan way of his.

His head shot up once he heard her step into the room, and he sighed in relief, letting his hands drop and rest on his knees. Half of his mouth quirked up into a smile. "You never back with me. I was starting to get worried."

Caroline laughed, shutting the door behind her and spinning on her heel, her arms outstretched at her sides. "All in one piece. You worry too much, Stef."

He sent her a withering glare, ignoring her mocking tone. "I came back inside and you were gone. Klaus got you out then?"

Caroline could feel the heat spread across her face, and for once she prayed Stefan couldn't tell what she was thinking. She remembered the way Klaus' lips felt against hers. The way they traced a fiery trail across her skin while his roughened hands slithered against her body. They way he'd tugged her close, and how she could feel just how much he had been feeling it too.

She shook herself free of her thoughts, ignoring the heat that was burning in her belly. "Klaus took good care of me," she said softly, a hint of a smile on her face.

Stefan nodded, running a hand down his face. "Care…" he started, his voice weary and seeming so much older than his 24 years. "I'm so sorry about Jeremy. And Rebekah."

Waving a hand in the air and effectively cutting him off, Caroline sighed, making her way to where he sat on the edge of her bed and plopping down next to him. "It's fine, Stefan."

He shook his head. "It's not. I shouldn't have let it get that far. I should've never even let her meet with him the other day. If we hadn't—"

"I would have run into him at some point anyway," Caroline interrupted. "Stefan. Seriously. When I say it's fine, it's fine. I know you would have avoided it if you could. But Rebekah is a force to be reckoned with. I get it."

Stefan scoffed, nodding his head and he rubbed his hands together. "You can say that again," he muttered under his breath, smiling when he heard Caroline laugh quietly beside him. "We aren't talking now. Barely three weeks until the wedding, and I am not talking to my bride-to-be. They don't tell you about this part when you propose."

"Stefan, please don't let me cause a rift with you two," Caroline pleaded, shifting so she could fully face him on the bed, tucking one leg under her. "Okay, I knew what I was signing up for when I agreed to come back here, and the last thing I want—as much as I don't particularly care for Rebekah—is for it to come between the two of you." Stefan dropped his gaze to the floor, his hands clasped together. "I know you want to protect me. And I love you for that, because you're Stefan and it's what you do when it comes to me. And you do such an amazing job at it. But Rebekah is your priority right now. The two of you are going to spend the rest of your lives together. Jeremy is MY problem to worry about."

Stefan nodded, tugging at his bottom lip with his teeth, and raised his gaze to hers. "You know I hate this. All of it. I hate that it's hurting you so much." He saw her face soften towards him, and he sighed. "Care, maybe it's time for you to—"

"No, Stefan."

Her words were quiet, but stern. It was a conversation they'd had numerous times over the last few years, and her answer was always the same.

"Caroline…"

She shook her head, blonde curls bouncing, and placed both legs back on the floor, turning away from him. "Stefan, we've talked about this. I made a decision."

"A decision that shouldn't matter anymore. It's been five years. Caroline, people deserve to know the truth. They should know what happened."

She turned her face towards him, and his heart clenched at the warring emotions he could clearly see behind her innocent blue eyes. "No. Okay?"

Stefan's lips clenched into a tight line, and he ran a hand through his hair as he turned away. "He doesn't have a hold on you anymore, Caroline," he said softly. "He shouldn't."

"He doesn't," Caroline replied, her hands clasped in her lap as she stared intently down at her cuticles. "This is my decision, Stefan. It always was."

It wasn't the first time Stefan came to her with this argument. She doubted it would be the last. They didn't disagree often. There was the one time in third grade when Caroline had placed first in the Mystic Falls Elementary Olympic Games, and Stefan had been adamant that the only reason she won was because she'd tripped him in the relay. Then there was middle school, when Stefan called Caroline out for flirting with Matt Donovan—the shoe in for football quarterback—just so she could look good for cheerleader tryouts. And of course, who could forget junior year, when Stefan had blown Caroline off so he could go to the Falls with Alexia Branson, the transfer student from New York, who had been fun and crazy and beautiful.

Their fights never lasted long. They would yell and scream, and stay silent for days at a time, but then things would go back to normal. They'd be laughing and razzing and being best friends again, and the argument would never be brought up again.

That obviously wasn't the case with this one.

Caroline sighed, glancing at Stefan from the corner of her eye. He was just looking out for her. She knew that. But he needed to let her make her own decision. Her own mistakes. He needed to stop trying to fix everything. "I told Klaus."

Stefan looked at her, eyebrows raised, a questioning look on his face.

"About the accident. Well, actually, Damon beat me to it, that day I met Mom for lunch." She could see the nape of Stefan's neck turning red, very quickly rising to his face, the anger evident in his gaze, and she hurried on. She didn't need to debate Damon Salvatore right now. "He was drunk and rambling. You know how he gets. Anyway, I explained to Klaus what happened."

"And?" Stefan implored, pushing his anger and resentment towards his older brother to the back of his mind.

"And he was…understanding. I guess. He didn't run the other way or call me names or the million other things I expected him to do. He told me that I shouldn't let everyone in town dominate how I handle things. And see myself."

Stefan leaned back, his elbow perched on his knee. "Wow."

She nodded. "Yeah. Wow." She couldn't fight the small smile that tugged at her lips, but once she caught sight of Stefan's contemplative gaze, she wiped it off her face, clearing her throat. "Anyway. He was kind of pissed at Rebekah when he put two and two together as to who Jeremy was. So I…told him to tell her. And before you say anything," she said, holding a finger up against his lips when he opened his mouth to protest, "it was, once again, MY decision. She eventually would have found out, Stefan. And while I love you for trying to protect me by keeping it from her, the fact of the matter is that we are pretty much stuck with each other for the rest of forever. Which, sadly, means I am also stuck with Rebekah. And there shouldn't be any secrets."

Stefan smiled, his lips quirking up under the skin of her finger, and he shook his head, pushing her hand away and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You're a lot tougher than people give you credit for, Forbes," he softly said into her hair, feeling her smile against his neck.

"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes and nudging him away with her elbow. "Quit flirting with me, you horndog, and go fix things with the future Mrs. Salvatore."

Her best friend let out a bark of laughter, shaking his head as he pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. "You're something else, Care. Never let that go."

Caroline smiled, nodding, and watched as he crossed the room and opened the door. He smiled at her over his shoulder before she disappeared into the hallway, the door clicking shut softly behind him.

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She couldn't quite determine if she was irritated or relieved Klaus didn't come find her later in the day. Nearly an hour after Stefan had left, she'd found herself restless. She'd already remade her bed. Finished unpacking the last remaining suitcase that had been staring at her since she settled in. Flopped into her bed, then groaned when she realized she'd have to remake the bed again. Finally, after an hour of constant motion and neurotic tendencies, she'd stripped off her clothes and banished herself to the bathroom for a shower.

Once the scalding water hit her back, she'd sighed, ducking her head under the nozzle and letting the cool tile of the shower wall level her head. As the steam filled the room and she smoothed back her hair, she could finally let her thoughts filter.

Klaus scared her. He **scared** her.

She was terrified of him. Terrified that, hours later, she could still feel the hot caress of his hands on her skin. She could still feel the stubble that grazed a rough trail down the side of her neck as his lips quickly sought to soothe it out. She could still feel his firm, lean body pressing hers into the tree, every inch of him hard against her. She could still hear his ragged breath in her ear as he'd whispered to her. She could still feel everything.

And that's what scared the shit out of her.

No one had ever been able to make her feel this way. Not that there had been anyone serious over the last few years—a few flings here and there, a one night stand occasionally thrown into the mix. But even through the drunk fueled passions of those, she'd never felt that pit in her stomach that came with thoughts of Klaus Mikaelson.

Caroline realized that she really didn't know anything about him, other than he was Rebekah's older brother and, evidently, had some dark secrets himself. She knew that he'd been out of contact with his sister for quite awhile, but where he'd been or what he'd been doing, she had no idea. She didn't know his favorite color or his favorite song. If he preferred chocolate ice cream to vanilla, or if he went with cookie dough like she did. She didn't know him from Adam.

So why was she so pulled to him? Why did every nerve in her body scream for his touch again? Even if just for a second?

Their kiss in the woods had been a mistake, she concluded. She'd been emotional and vulnerable—and her past with Damon was a clear indication at what resulted from that. She didn't fault Klaus for his actions—not at all. She'd made the first move. **She **had kissed **him**. She had gotten drunk on his shameless flirting and his wonderful compliments and that damned sexy accent. She led him on. Who the hell was she kidding? She was nowhere near in any condition to jump into anything. Even if it was sure to be raw, sheet-clawing—

"No, Caroline," she uttered loudly, her voice reverberating off the tiled walls of the bathroom. She groaned, running her hands down her face as she hit the water handle with her elbow, the stream of soothing hot water cutting off. She sighed, shaking her wet hair out of her eyes, and slid open the door, reaching for the towel that sat on the sink.

There would be no more kissing Klaus. No more anything with Klaus.

If only she could think it more firmly…

Caroline had barely wrapped the towel around her waist when she'd stepped into her bedroom and let out a small gasp when she caught sight of the person standing by the bureau.

It was a Mikaelson, alright. Just not the one she expected.

"I knocked, but there was no answer," Rebekah said, setting the snowglobe she'd been fondling back on the dresser. "I heard the shower when I peeked in. I hope you don't mind me waiting."

Caroline cleared her throat, her hands tightening their grip on the towel wrapped loosely around her. "Not at all," she said, offering a half-hearted smile.

Rebekah nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "I was hoping I could speak to you, Caroline."

The tone in her voice was one all too familiar with Caroline. She nodded, shrugging. "Uh, sure. Just…give me a couple minutes to get dressed," she said, grabbing the pile of clothes she'd set on the bed earlier. Rebekah gave her a small nod, and Caroline hurried back into the bathroom, leaning against the door as she clutched the clothing to her chest.

She could admit, she found the other blonde slightly intimidating. She was beautiful and rich, and held herself with a sense of confidence Caroline was envious of. She'd captured Stefan's heart, a feat that wasn't easy by any chance, and that in itself was intimidating.

Once she'd calmed down and dressed, she'd thrown her hair up into a high ponytail, forgoing makeup, and made her way back into the bedroom. Rebekah was sitting on the bed, in the same spot Stefan had been in a short time ago. Caroline made her way over to her, sitting down slowly, and let her hands rest on her thighs as she waited for the blonde to speak.

They sat in silence for a long moment, before Rebekah took a breath. "Caroline, I need to apologize to you."

The words were not what Caroline was expecting, and from the small smile on Rebekah's face, she was sure her surprise was evident.

"Nik told me everything. About the accident. Jeremy Gilbert. Why, exactly, Stefan has been shielding you since you arrived. I promise you, I had no idea that was your past with the Gilbert boy. I just assumed he was some high school boyfriend that you parted on bad terms with. Still a bitch move on my part, hiring him thinking that, but I promise you if I'd known the truth, I never would have."

Caroline nodded, her gaze riveted on her entwined fingers.

"Stefan…he never mentioned any of that to me. In all the times he talked about you, he never once brought up…"

"Yeah," Caroline said, smiling as she looked up and met Rebekah's gaze. "That's Stefan for you. Always looking out for me." She shrugged. "He just…didn't want it to influence how you perceived me, Rebekah. Stefan, he's…overprotective. Kind ofputting it a little lightly, but it's the best description I can ever come up with. He just saw me through all of it and he makes it a point to make sure I never have to relive it if I don't have to."

Rebekah nodded, her teeth nibbling her lower lip, and Caroline could swear she saw tears welling in her eyes. "He loves you," she stated plainly.

For the first time, Caroline saw Rebekah Mikaelson's cool, collected exterior crumble before her eyes. With those three, simple words, every insecurity and fear was brought forward. She'd known Rebekah didn't like her close relationship with Stefan. But she saw now that Rebekah viewed her a threat.

She smiled, tilting her head. "He loves you more," she said softly. She laughed, seeing the doubt in her eyes. "Rebekah…if you knew how much Stefan cares about you. Believe me, it is in a completely different way than the way he does me. I know he's told you, and now I am too, believe me when I say you have NOTHING worry about. Seriously. He's just my best friend. And he'll always be my best friend, so…I hope that, at some point, maybe you'll stop hating me and this whole thing won't be awkward anymore."

Rebekah laughed, a light tinkling sound, and Caroline realized it was the first time she's really ever heard it. "I don't hate you. You're certainly not my favorite person in the world. But hate…." She shook her head, blonde tendrils spilling over her shoulder. "You just know Stefan in a way that I never can. The bond the two of you have…it's quite intimidating, especially for the new girl friend who's hoping to make a splash with the best friend." She shrugged, smiling. "I found you terrifying, Caroline, if you can believe it, and I went on the offensive."

Caroline sent her a look that screamed her dubiousness. "I 'terrified' you? You know I'm a complete wuss, right? I mean, **birds** scare the crap out of me." They shared a laugh, and Caroline felt the air settle just a smidge between them. Maybe not all bad could come from her deep, dark secret. "Stefan loves you, Rebekah. Please don't doubt that. And please don't feel like you have to hate me just because I'm close with him."

Rebekah nodded, rolling her eyes. "Well, Nik's behavior towards you certainly isn't helping."

Caroline froze, eyes wide. He wouldn't have…he certainly wouldn't tell his sister—his BABY sister—about their almost romp in the woods, would he?

"Oh come, Caroline. Certainly you've noticed the way he stares at you," she said, catching the shocked look on her face, and Caroline felt herself relax just slightly. "The two of you seemed quite cozy when you came back this afternoon."

"Rebekah…"

She held up a hand, eyes clenched shut. "Please, I do not wish to hear any details of whatever sordid love affair you and my brother might or might not be concocting." She shivered, her face scrunched in obvious disgust, and Caroline couldn't help but smile. Shaking her head, Rebekah opened her eyes again and turned to look at her. "He fancies you. You, clearly, fancy him—and don't try to deny it, because you're not a good liar at all, Caroline—so do what you will. But…tread carefully. Nik has a few more dark spirits hiding in his corner as well."

_You're not the only one with a shady past, Caroline._

Klaus's words rang in her head, and she nodded absently. "I appreciate it, Rebekah," she said, smiling. "But, seriously. There's nothing going on between me and Klaus."

Rebekah merely stared at her, one eyebrow arched as her lips quirked up into a knowing smirk. "If you say so, Caroline," she said, unconvinced, and before the other blonde could come up with a retort, Rebekah rose to her feet. "Well, go on, then, get a move on. We're going out."

Caroline stared up at her, bewildered. The woman had more personalities than Sybil. "Out?"

"Yes," Rebekah answered determinedly, nodding. "It's time we put the past behind us, Caroline. There's a party at the Grill tonight, so the four of us are going, and I don't want to hear any arguments. You were just saying that you'd like things to be less awkward between us, so here's our chance. We're leaving in about an hour, so freshen up, powder your nose, and meet us downstairs. Don't cause a fuss."

And with that, the youngest Mikaelson turned on her stiletto heel and strode to the door, casting one last smile over her shoulder before she disappeared, leaving Caroline sitting in shocked silence.

She laughed, shaking her head. "What a bossy bitch," she said with a laugh.

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An hour later, Caroline was striding out of her bedroom, a knockout in red heels. Her hair fell in curls around her shoulders. The tightfitting blue knit dress clung to her curves, the red belt cinching together at her waist to reveal a slender figure she knew was to die for.

She refused to believe that she glammed up for anyone in particular. Certainly not some blue eyed, accented devil that oozed sex appeal with every breath and could kiss her senseless until she felt should couldn't see straight.

No, not at all.

This was all for her.

Though as soon as she felt a set of familiar, rough fingers wrap around her wrist and pull her into a darkened alcove of the hallway, every denial that she'd just recited to herself flew out of her brain.

She gasped when she felt her back collide with the corner, then bit back a moan when a devastating set of lips latched themselves onto her neck. She sighed, her head falling back to lean against the wall, and she could feel the smirk spread across his face.

"Didn't we already have a discussion about you and your short little dresses, sweetheart?" he whispered against her skin, his hands trailing a sinful path down her sides to settle on her hips.

Caroline smiled, her own hands finding their way around his neck and his curls. "I wasn't aware it was more than just that red little number I wore the other night."

Klaus laughed, his warm breath caressing her skin as he trailed his lips up her neck to rest against the shell of her ear. "Caroline, everything you wear drives me absolutely mad."

She laughed. "Oh, what, would you prefer I wear nothing at all?" He pulled back to look at her, and she couldn't help the instant chill that went down her spine at the look of desire in his eyes. It was as if he wanted to eat her alive. And if the heat pooling in her stomach was any indication, she knew that she'd be a willing victim. Her earlier argument be damned. She let out a nervous breath, smiling as she pressed a hand against his chest, pushing him away slightly. "Seriously, we don't have time for that, Klaus."

She tried to sidestep him, but his arm snaked around her waist, pressing her back against the wall.

"We'll make time for it," he growled under his breath, crushing his lips to hers.

She moaned at the contact, feeling his tongue take the advantage to delve into her mouth and duel with her own. She felt his body press itself against hers, and she could feel the quiver in her knees at every solid inch of him. Breaking away, she turned her face to the side to gulp down the air her lungs were burning for, and she sighed when his lips ravished her collarbone. "Rebekah's waiting," she protested, her voice a mere whimper as her arms snaked around his shoulders to pull him closer.

"She can wait longer."

"Klaus…"

Klaus tore his lips away from her tantalizing skin, and his eyes bore into hers as he reached up and smoothed the hair away from her face. "You can't tell me our kiss earlier hasn't been driving you mad, Caroline," he said softly, his lips grazing hers as he spoke. He could feel her breath shutter against his face, and he smirked, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose before grazing her lips. "Your brain working overtime on what would have continued if we hadn't been interrupted." He kissed her again, swallowing her low moan as he pulled her closer, wanting to feel every warm inch of her he could.

Her curves were taunting him, hiding under that flimsy excuse for a dress, and he felt her body shiver when his hands caressed their way down, past her hips, sliding over the hem of the dress, to graze the soft skin of her outer thighs. He felt her quiver, and he pressed her closer against the wall to keep her balance, her sharp intake of breath hitting his ear when his need for her pressed into her stomach. His hands traveled further, reaching around to graze the curves of her bottom, and he felt her fingers dig into his shoulders.

He pulled back, resting his forehead against hers, and stared into her eyes, their breaths mingling. "Tell me to stop, Caroline."

Her heartbeat was roaring in her ears, and it felt like every inch of her was on fire. His heated gaze was piercing a hole right through her, and she could feel her hands tightening their grip on his shoulders. "Rebekah and Stefan—"

"Tell me you want me to stop, Caroline," Klaus interrupted, jerking her forward against him. She stuttered out a breath, raising her eyes to meet his. "Tell me, and we'll leave."

He needed to hear her say it. He needed to know that she was feeling every bit of this extreme that he was. That the blood rushing through his veins was doing so for HER.

Caroline stared up at him, shaking her head slightly. "Don't stop," she whispered, raising on her tip toes to meet his height better.

A flash of lust coursed across his face as he smirked, and he gripped her tighter, lowering his head to capture her swollen lips again.

"Nik! Would you hurry it up already?"

He growled, defeated, as he let his head plop down to rest in the curve of Caroline's shoulder. He heard the vixen in his arms sigh, and begin to disentangle her arms from around his neck. _If she wasn't my sister…_

"I told you she was waiting," Caroline whispered, not trusting her voice to not tremble if she spoke any louder. She pulled away from him, feeling him nod against her, but his arms stayed tethered to her waist. "Klaus…"

"Nik, untangle yourself from Caroline, there will be plenty of time for that later!" Rebekah yelled from downstairs, the annoyance evident in her voice, and they could practically hear her stamp her foot in impatience.

A silent beat followed her outburst, before Stefan's confused voice carried up the stairs. "Wait. What?"

Caroline sighed, unwrapping his arms from around her waist and looking up at him. "We've gotta go," she said, standing on her toes to press a chaste kiss against his lips, fighting against the urge to tell the waiting couple to go to hell and pull Klaus into the nearest room to have her way with him. Or his way with her, given the intense look he'd been piercing her with moments ago.

He sighed in resignation as she moved past him, straightening her dress as she tried to calm her racing heart. She felt him come up behind her, his breath hot against the nape of her neck, and the hand that gripped her hip stopped her steps.

His lips brushed against her ear as he spoke.

"We'll finish this soon, love," he whispered, smirking when she tilted her head to the side as his hand came up to caress his neck. "And I promise you…I won't stop until your legs are shaking and the neighbors know my name."

And with those words he craned his neck to press a heated kiss against her lips, smirking into her face when she stared at him, flabbergasted and undeniably turned on, before he moved around her and traipsed down the steps.

"About bloody time," she heard Rebekah bark, before her name was ungraciously called as well. She could feel the heat on her face, and she fanned herself with her hand as she hurried towards the steps. She cleared her throat, starting down the stairs, her eyes taking in Rebekah's knowing eye roll, Stefan's suspicious, narrowed gaze…and Klaus's devilish smirk as he gazed at her from his place by the door.

She swallowed the lump in her throat.

This was going to be the longest night in history.

**00000000**

**Wow…so THAT took a turn I wasn't expecting to take so soon. But yeah…Klaus and Caroline are sooo hot other. Seriously. It's sizzling over here.**

**Sorry for the long wait, once again! I'm already underway with the next chapter, so here's hoping for an extra early update (hopefully within the next day or two!)**

**As always, let me know what you thought! Your opinions matter to me more than anything!**

**Follow me on tumblr: klarolineepiclove**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Rescue Me**_

_**A.N. AHEM….cough ratingchange cough…**_

_**Longest. Chapter. Yet. More words for you at the bottom!**_

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She was trying to kill him. He was sure of it.

From the second she'd walked into the hallway in that poor excuse for a dress and those fuck-me red heels, Klaus knew, beyond a doubt, that he would have to have her. In the beginning, when he'd first met her, it hadn't been much. A basic attraction—nothing more than an attractive man seeing an attractive woman. But then she'd scolded him, stood up to him, sassed him. She'd done something not many people outside of his own siblings had ever done. Especially no woman. He had gotten a glimpse of her strength; her determination. Her light. And suddenly it was more than just an attraction—it was a NEED.

He needed her.

And Caroline Forbes was sure as hell going to make him work for it.

She was purposely torturing him. The way the skin of her thighs had brushed up against him in the cab ride. He'd sat sandwiched between her and Rebekah in the backseat while Stefan conversed pleasantly with the driver, and every curve or stop slid them closer together. He'd cast a sidelong glance at her, a warning in his eye, and she would just keep her gaze straight on the road ahead of them, a small, smug smile on her pretty face.

She'd lean around him to speak to Rebekah—him being unable to truly enjoy the fact that the two women were finally getting along—and her berry scented curls would brush against his shoulder or his chest, and he nearly had to sit on his hands just to keep from wrapping them around his fingers and yanking her face to his.

The merest innocent gesture, and he suddenly felt like he was an awkward teenage boy again.

It was a very uncomfortable car ride, to say the least.

The cab stopped outside a bustling Grill, where people were streaming in and out the doors and music poured into the streets. Klaus didn't know what the party was in honor of, and honestly wondered if anyone in town knew either. Stefan had mentioned it happens once every couple months, someone just got the urge to make Mystic Falls seem like a much more "happening" place than it really was.

He honestly didn't care at this point. All he cared about was getting his arms around the blonde little temptress that sat at his side.

The four of them strode through the doors, Klaus lagging behind slightly as his eyes stayed glued to Caroline's swaying hips beneath the fabric of her dress. Ahead of him, Rebekah looked over her shoulder and sent him a disgusted look when she saw where his attention was diverted. He grinned at her, unrepentant, and she rolled her eyes before skipping ahead and grasping Stefan's hand in hers.

There were people everywhere. Dancing, standing, voices raised to carry over the music, heads leaned close to converse more privately. From the corner of his eye, he saw Stefan and Rebekah head a booth in the back, and he used the distance to come up behind Caroline, feeling her breath hitch slightly when his hands crazed the curve of her hip and his lips brushed the shell of her ear. "It's not nice to tease, love," he whispered, closing his eyes as he breathed in her scent.

Caroline laughed, slipping out from his grasp and turning to look at him. "You started it," she accused, a teasing smile on her face. "With that dirty little promise in the hallway earlier."

Klaus grinned, taking a step towards her. "Got you all hot and bothered, did it, sweet Caroline?" he asked, his voice low as he peered down at her. He could see the flush in her cheeks, and the way her eyes widened the slightest bit at his close proximity. "You should know, love, I always keep my promises."

"Oh, I'm counting on it," Caroline said, looking up at him from her under her lashes, feeling so much confident than she truly was. It was the way he looked at her—it made her feel strong. Important. "But don't think that means it's gonna be all smooth sailing." She leaned up towards him, until their faces were mere inches apart. "I like to lead sometimes, too."

Klaus smirked, his eyes traveling from her eyes to her lips then back up again. "Then let the games begin, love," he said, leaning down to press a quick kiss against her temple. "It'll just make the ending to the night that much better."

He sent her one last heated glance and a quick smirk before he stepped around her, heading to the bar, and Caroline scoffed, smiling as she shook her head. She never did this. She'd never DONE this. Sure, she flirted. But this was something more than that. It was like they were the prey and hunter, circling each other.

And she honestly didn't know which role she fell into.

Smiling again, she laughed, turning on her heel, and let out a startled gasp when she nearly collided with Stefan. She sighed, settling back on her feet, and glared up at him. "You scared me, you jerk."

Stefan stared at her, hands in the pockets of his pants. "What's going on with you and Klaus?"

Caroline stared at him, eyes wide. "Hmmm?" Stefan's eyebrows arched on his forehead, his chin tilting down as his eyes bore into her. "What? I don't…I don't know what you're talking…"

He kept staring. And staring.

Huffing, she threw up her hands, stomping her foot. "Fine! Fine. Maybe we are…exploring different venues…of our relationship."

"Since when do you have a relationship?" he questioned.

"I don't know," Caroline admitted. "You know, I thought he was cute when I gave him a ride, and then I hated him for a little bit and then…I don't know, Stef. I mean, it doesn't really mean anything. Like you said before, I'm only even going be dealing with him for a few weeks. Why not, you know…reap some rewards for those few weeks."

Stefan nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. He supposed he should have seen this coming. He'd seen the way Klaus looked at Caroline the night of the engagement party. He'd seen how his eyes never strayed too far from her whenever they were in the same room. He'd seen Caroline's smitten expression when she talked to him earlier that day, explaining how Klaus stood up for her and supported her after her confrontation with Jeremy.

Caroline didn't jump into anything lightly. She was cautious. She learned to be, after Damon. But he couldn't help but feel that this wasn't going to end the best for her.

"Stefan," Caroline said, stepping towards him and taking one of his hands in hers. "I know what I'm doing, okay? I'm not that stupid, naïve kid that falls head over heels just because some guy shows her a little attention. This is me, making a conscious decision. Please just…don't worry about it."

He sighed, his fingers giving hers a light squeeze. "You're Caroline," he said, smiling softly. "Of course I'm going to worry. But I know you, and I know you don't make decision lightly. Just…be careful. Okay?"

Caroline smiled. "Always." Her smile grew then, as she glanced out at the crowd dancing in the center of the Grill. "You know, it's been a long time since we cut a rug together."

Stefan laughed. "Yeah, there's a reason for that, Caroline."

"Oh, come on! You're not that bad." She heard his laugh, caught his mock-offended glare, and shook her head, pulling him by the hand as she walked backwards towards the dance floor, swaying her hips slightly. "And anyway, you're getting married soon. You're gonna have to brush off those dance moves anyway. Might as well start now."

Stefan shook his head, watching as Caroline waved her arms over her head in time to the music, and he sighed, slowly falling into step with her. "Fine, just…tell me if you see anyone with their camera phones."

Caroline laughed, lacing her arms around her best friend's neck, and let herself fall into their old rhythm.

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"You are aware of what you're doing?"

Klaus looked over at Rebekah as he lounged against the bar, a glass of bourbon in his hand.

"With Caroline," she clarified, raising her glass of wine to her lips. "I'm only asking to ensure my wedding remained unscathed. She is, after all, the best whatever it is you want to call her. I won't have you complicating things, Nik."

Klaus smirked, resting an elbow against the counter behind him. "Come now, Rebekah, do you honestly believe I would jeopardize your big day in any way?"

"I believe that you let your actions be led my Nik Jr. more often than naught, and the last thing anyone wants here is a repeat of the whole Petrova debacle," Rebekah replied.

Klaus shot her a heated glare. Rebekah barely flinched, so used to her brother's mood swings, especially when it came to mentions of that wench Tatia Petrova and her philandering ways. She shrugged. "I'm just saying, Nik. You're my favorite big brother. And despite my best efforts in ceasing it, Caroline has the potential to be a friend. And you know I have so few of those." She sighed, shifting on her seat. "I just don't want to see her become another notch in your long belt, dear brother. So tread carefully."

Tapping a finger against the glass in his hand, Klaus let Rebekah's lecture sink in as she turned to order another drink.

Truth was, it had been a long time since there had been any notch in Klaus' "belt." He'd spent so much time over the last few years, moving from place to place, mission to mission, he didn't have time to indulge in such things. He had wanted to escape—to forget. Dalliances like that left far too much time to reflect. To think.

He heard her laugh then. The blonde temptation that had managed to bewitch him in such a short time, and he turned his gaze towards the mass of bodies on the dance floor. She was dancing with Stefan, neither of them keeping to the beat of the music but not seeming to mind. She twirled and weaved, and shook her hips, a brilliant, dazzling smile on her face.

Rebekah's words echoed in his mind. She wouldn't be a notch. Caroline deserved so much more than just a quickie in a bathroom stall and a kiss goodbye. She valued herself so little. She needed to see just how high her worth was. Needed to know that she had meaning.

And with every thought, he realized his hypocrisy.

He saw them moving towards the bar, Stefan and Caroline, and he flung back the rest of his drink, wincing slightly as the alcohol burned its way down his throat. Turning, he signaled the bartender, a young blonde man, and ordered another.

"Please tell me I can expect to see more polished dance moves at our wedding," Rebekah drawled, smiling as Stefan reached her side and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Sorry, babe, that's pretty much as good as it gets," he replied, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Well, I need to rethink this whole thing, then."

Klaus smirked, pleased to see his sister happy. He felt Caroline come up next to him, and he glanced over to see her clasp her hands on the bar top, crossing one ankle over the other. She was peeking at him from the corner of her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips. He smiled, leaning in towards her. "Buy you a drink, love?" he said softly, keeping his hands firmly placed where they were. Though he itched to touch her, he didn't miss the warning glances Stefan had been throwing at him. He had to admit that he admired the man's protectiveness over the blonde at his side.

It did damper the chase, though.

Caroline smiled at him, shrugging nonchalantly. "Rum and coke."

He nodded, placing her order as the bartender set his own drink in front of him. He glanced over at her, seeing her catch her bottom lip between her teeth as she saw his eyes darken slightly. The gesture itself aroused him, and he shifted slightly on his stool, hoping she wouldn't notice just how uncomfortable she was suddenly making him. When he caught her eye and saw her shake her head with a small smile, he knew she'd seen. She knew exactly what she was doing to him.

"Care, I see a guy from the firm over there," Stefan said as he moved to her side, his head low as he spoke into her ear over the music. "Bex and I are going to say hello. Are you good?"

Caroline looked over at him, catching the way his eyes traveled between her and Klaus and the crowd surrounding them, and she knew he meant much more than just "good" with the handsome man sitting next to her. "Go on, Stefan, I'm fine."

He nodded, smiling, and wrapped his hand around Rebekah's as they stepped down from the bar. "We'll be back," he said over his shoulder, tugging his fiancée into his side and grinning at her laughter.

Klaus watched them go, a weathered eye on the way his younger sister stumbled slightly in her heels. He couldn't help but shake his head. Rebekah always was a lightweight. The telltale sound of a glass being sat on the bar top brought his attention back to the matter at hand, and he found himself scooting closer as Caroline raised her drink to her lips. "How long are we going to be skirting around this, sweetheart?" he asked, smiling as he finally allowed on hand to graze her hip, tugging her closer.

Caroline giggled, shaking her head. "I'm still weighing my time," she teased, leaning towards him slightly. "I'm just having too much fun watching you squirm."

He grinned, shaking his head, and opened his mouth to reply with an innuendo he was more than happy to follow through on, but a slurred voice from behind them cut him off.

"Careful there, Forbes. We all know what happened the last time you indulged in your little alcohol obsession."

He saw Caroline stiffen, saw the smile slip from her face faster than he'd ever think possible. Gone was the teasing laughter in her eyes. Gone was the flushed, exhilarated glow on her face. In its place was the stricken, panicked face he'd seen earlier that day.

Caroline could feel her heart plummet in her chest. Of course someone would say something. Of course her carefree, fun, flirty mood would be ruined. And of course Vicki Donovan would be the one to do it.

She steadied herself, taking a deep breath, and turned to face her accuser, but before she could even utter an awkward "hello," Klaus' arm was clinched around her waist, pulling her slightly behind him as he rose to his feet.

"Can we help you, love?" he asked, voice stern, a look of warning on his face.

The leggy brunette that rested against the railing let her clouded gaze travel from Caroline to the tall, accented man at her side, and her mocking smile quickly quirked up into one of flirt and fancy. "You could help me with a thing or two if you're offering," she said, a near empty bottle of beer dangling from her fingertips.

"I'm flattered, darling," he replied, uninterested. "But, as you can see, my attention rests solely on the lovely lady who deserves none of your drunken harassments. So why don't you be on your way, sweet pea?"

Vicki laughed loudly, her wobbly legs straightening as she tightened her grip on the railing, pulling herself straight. "Oh, I don't know about undeserving," she sneered, clearly offended by his obvious brushoff, and waved her bottle in Caroline's vicinity. "She's a murderer, you know."

Caroline's grip tightened on the back of his shirt, her fingers pressing into his back, and Klaus could feel that familiar protective urge he got whenever he sensed her in distress.

"Vicki…" she said, her voice soft and wavering.

"Everyone knows it, you know. Little Miss Caroline Forbes, who got off so easy because her mommy is the big bad sheriff of Mystic Falls."

Vicki's voice was raising, causing more than a few heads to turn in their direction, and Caroline let out a shaky breath. She could feel their judgment. She could feel their glares. Their hatred. She wanted nothing more than to sink into the floorboards and disappear from their heated gazes.

"Who are you fooling, Caroline? Nobody around here, that's for damn sure."

"I think you've said enough," Klaus announced, taking a step towards her. Even in her drunken state, the girl had the sense to backtrack her steps. She knocked into a table as she moved, the bottle dropping from her hands to shatter on the floor as she tried to steady herself.

"Klaus, don't," Caroline said behind him, tugging at the back of his shirt to keep him from moving any further.

Vicki laughed, shaking her head. "You've got another one under your freaky siren spell, huh, Care? All strong and strapping and willing to fight for you. Kind of like Tyler. How did that end by the way? Oh, right," she said, snapping her fingers. "He dumped your ass after you drove the Gilberts off the fucking bridge!"

"Vick!"

A tall, blonde young man was pushing his way through the crowd towards them, his eyes squarely set on the wobbling woman causing a scene.

Vicki whipped around when she heard her name, and her face broke out into a smile. "Hey, Matty! Check out who's back in town? And drinking to boot?"

The newcomer, Matt, slowed his steps when he reached Vicki's side, his brow furrowed as he met her gaze before moving on to the two others. He sighed as his eyes met Caroline's, and he nodded. "Hey, Care."

"Hi, Matt," came her quiet reply.

"Vicki," he said, turning his gaze back to the scowling drunkard at his side. "I think you've had enough. How about we head home, huh?" He reached to grasp her arm, but she scoffed loudly, shaking him off. "Vick, seriously, you're causing a scene."

"She's causing a scene," Vicki protested, turning back to glare at Caroline. "You should have just stayed gone."

Klaus could feel the growl threatening to rip from his throat. "I suggest you get your girlfriend home, mate," he said, a threat in his voice.

"She's my sister," Matt said, wrapping a firmer arm around Vicki and turning her to face the door. She stumbled, muttering a curse under her breath, but conceded, wrapping a hand around her brother's arm to steady her steps. He glanced back at them, an apologetic expression on his face. "Sorry, Caroline," he said softly, a flash of pain spreading on his face before he turned away, tending to his sister.

Klaus watched them go, his grip tightening on the drink in his hand. He sighed, casting a quick glare at the few faces that were still gawking, and once they'd turned their gazes away, he faced the girl at his side. She stood, one hand slowly running through her hair as a shaky sigh left her mouth. "Caroline…" he started, reaching out to gently grasp her shoulder.

She shrugged away from his touch, shaking her head. "Don't, just…take me home, okay?" she asked quietly, stepping around him and heading towards the side exit, opposite the one the Donovan siblings had just disappeared through.

He didn't hesitate to nod, dropping a few bills on the bar top before he raced after her. The air had chilled since they entered the Grill, the wind sending a small shiver through him as he came through the door. He walked passed a small group of smokers, his eyes searching for the familiar blonde hair. She had barely been ten steps ahead of him, where could she have gotten to?

He passed through the haze of smoke, sending a glare in the offender's direction, before he turned his head and caught sight of her. She was leaning against the side of the building, her arms wrapped around her torso as she waited for him, her eyes watchful as he approached.

He wasn't good at comfort. He didn't offer soothing words or sage advice. He had been taught that emotion and compassion were weaknesses, ones he couldn't risk suffering anymore. But as he came to a stop right in front of her, he wanted nothing more than to be able to offer just that.

"Love—"

His words were abruptly cut off when Caroline launched herself at him, her lips attacking him with a frenzy he wasn't expecting. He remained still for only a moment before he moaned against her mouth, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. He felt her hands grasp the collar of his shirt, and he felt himself being propelled backwards, his back hitting the harsh pavement of the building as she shoved him with all her strength.

His wince of pain was quickly extinguished when he felt her small body press up against his, her hands clawing at his shoulders, his hair, anywhere she could reach. He entangled his hands in her hair, wrapping the curls around his fingers as he pulled her closer. She gasped against his mouth, and he darted his tongue inside, tasting every inch of her he could. His chest was burning, the need to take a breath becoming too much to ignore, and he pulled away, gasping as he rested his forehead against hers.

"Take me home," she whispered, pressing kisses to the corner of his mouth, his cheeks.

Klaus sighed, smiling against her cheek. "As you wish, love."

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She was on fire.

Every brush of his fingers against her skin left a fiery path. Every kiss he pressed to her lips and neck left her gasping for more. She couldn't pull him close enough. The small backseat of the cab could barely manage the closeness she wanted to feel with him. She draped herself over him, thankful for the cabdriver who merely shook his head and kept his eyes on the road. His hands were tracing dangerous paths up her legs, across her thighs, stopping when they reached the hem of her dress. They gripped her hips tightly, his own pushing up to grind against her, and his frantic lips swallowed every last moan that escaped her.

They barely managed to throw the fare to the cabbie before they stumbled into the boarding house, tearing at each other's clothes frantically.

She didn't know how they made it up the stairs. Didn't remember stumbling down the hallway to his room. She just suddenly felt her back being pressed into the paneled wall, Klaus' strong, lean body pressing against hers in the most sinful way. His shirt lay open across his chest, and Caroline's hands were tracing down his sculpted stomach, her fingers grazing every scar and blemish she'd only seen in the moonlight days ago. She could feel the muscles clench under her touch, and she smiled against his lips, loving that she could get him to react that way.

She gasped when she felt his grip tighten on her hips and her feet left the ground. He lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist, before he pressed her against the wall again. She moaned when she felt his hardness rubbing against her aching core, and she clawed at his back, pushing the shirt from his shoulders. His hands trailed down her sides, tracing her curves painstakingly slow.

"Klaus," she whispered against his lips, opening her eyes to stare down at him.

He stared up at her, one hand coming up to brush a stray curl off her cheek as the other tightened around her waist, and then he was backing away, guiding them further into the room. His lips trailed up the curve of her neck, over her chin, until they reached her mouth. She shuddered against him, feeling every nerve in her body firing as his mouth devoured hers.

She felt his steps slow and then she was sliding down his body slowly, his hands quickly slipping off her heels as they passed over her feet. He set her down, his hands resting on her hips, fingers grasping the hem of her dress. She sighed, raising her face to look at him. She saw the question in his eyes, as if he were silently asking if she wanted to go through with this. She smiled, raising her arms over her head. He smirked, his lips pressing softly against hers as he slowly pulled the dress up and over her body, his fingers tickling the sensitive skin of her sides as he went.

His hands trailed up her arms, his fingers entwining with hers as he dropped that cursed blue dress to the floor, and he pulled her into him, letting out an audible gasp as he felt her skin against his. She stood before him in nothing more than a pair of black panties, her chest bare and open to him, and his breath caught in his throat.

"You're stunning," he whispered in her ear, drawing her close. He felt her smile against him, and then she was guiding him by the hand, crawling backwards onto the bed. He watched her, her every tiny movement, as he quickly undid his belt and kicked off his shoes. His jeans followed quickly thereafter, leaving him in a pair of black boxers as he slowly crept onto the bed after Caroline.

She was staring at him, a small smile on her face as she looked at him with hooded eyes. His hands slid across the sheets as he pressed a gentle kiss to her ankle, smiling as he felt an array of goosebumps spread across her skin. His lips trailed up her calf, under the skin of knee, before he ducked down and began the same ascent on the other leg. His hands followed suit, gently spreading her legs further apart so he could easily fit between them.

His hands grazed the skin of her hips, his eyes meeting hers as his fingers hooked underneath the band of her panties. He kept his gaze on hers as he peeled them down her legs, his lips pressing open mouthed kisses to the skin of her thighs. He felt her shudder under him, and he smirked to himself before he lowered his head and pressed his mouth to her.

She fell back to the bed with a strangled moan, his name escaping her lips, as he feasted.

It had been so long, and she tasted so good.

Small, raspy moans were coming from her mouth, and he slowed down, drawing out her pleasure. He could feel her shaking, her legs trembling on either side of him. Her hands were digging into the sheets beneath her. He watched her, mesmerized, and sped up his strokes. Her hips arched off the bed, her lips parting in a breathy cry of "Klaus," and she began to tense, her hands reaching out and tangling themselves into his curls. He reached up and grabbed one of her hands, using his other to lift her closer to him, and then she was unraveling, coming undone with a low moan. He pulled away, pressing kisses to her inner thighs as he waited for her breathing to calm down, and then he was traveling up the space of her body, his lips dancing across her skin.

Caroline pulled him to her, crushing her lips against his. "I need you," she whispered, hooking a leg around his hip as she wrestled to rid him of his last remaining article of clothing. He pulled back, quickly sliding his boxers the rest of the way down his legs and across the room. He kissed her, settling himself between her thighs, and her arms wrapped around his waist.

"Wait," he said, tearing himself away from her tantalizing lips. "We don't have anything…"

Caroline shook her head, pulling him back down to her. "I'm on the pill, it's fine," she murmured against his lips, and he nodded, his tongue delving into her mouth. He tasted like bourbon, the bitter taste mixing with the sweetness that was leftover from her own drink.

He moved then, sliding into her deeply, and she gasped, hearing him moan against her. He paused, giving her a moment to adjust to him, and then he was moving, a slow steady rhythm that had Caroline gasping for breath. She lifted her knees to hug his hips and he slid deeper still, causing him to groan against the skin of her neck. "Christ, sweetheart, just like that," he muttered, kissing the skin above her racing pulse as he quickened his pace.

Hands caressed, lips searched, their gasps and moans quickly mixing together in a haze of sweat and passion.

Klaus could feel her fingers dig into his shoulders as she tightened around him, and he lifted her hips, swallowing her shocked gasp as he dove into her at a new angle. He lost himself in her, his body taking control, and he took and took and took. Suddenly he heard her muffled cry, felt her body contract around him, her pleasure catapulting him into his own, and he groaned into her neck, his fingers digging into the skin of her hips.

They lay there, panting and gasping against each other, before Klaus rolled off her, pressing a deep kiss to her swollen lips. He moved to the side, pulling her with him until she lay tucked into his side, her head resting on his chest and her arm draped across his stomach.

Caroline nuzzled into his embrace, her eyes growing heavy as she felt him tug her closer. "Klaus…" she said sleepily, fighting back the yawn she knew was threatening to escape.

"Sssh," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Sleep, sweet Caroline. They'll be time to talk in the morning."

She nodded against his chest, sighing contently as she felt his fingers slide lazily through her hair, and she let herself be lulled to sleep by the steady rhythm of his breathing and the soothing feel on his caress on her skin.

**000000000**

**So…yeah. That was my first smut. I am blushing and cringing because I honestly have no idea if it was absolutely horrible or not, so please, please, please, be honest and tell me!**

**It's times like these I realize I could really use a beta to run this stuff by before I post, so if anyone is interested, please feel free to PM me here or send me a message on Tumblr.**

**Anyway…they did the dirty. Klaroline fandom rejoice, because if only they would just go ahead and do this on the show.**

**As always, leave me your thoughts and concerns in the reviews. I always look forward to reading them, and you guys are what keeps me writing more.**

**Follow me on Tumblr for sneak peeks and other random ramblings: klarolineepiclove.**

**Until next time!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Rescue Me**

**A.N. First off, HUUUGE shoutout to dhfreak over on Tumblr who made the kick-ass edit for this story. It was the greatest surprise and I'm madly in love with it. Check out the other edits on dhfreak's blog, because they will BLOW YOUR MIND!**

**And speaking of blowing your mind, y'all blew mine with your reviews from the last chapter! I'm glad you all enjoyed my sorry excuse for a smut, and that everyone was pretty stoked that they finally hid the salami or did the horizontal mambo or whatever other horribly corny analogy you care to come up with. But for realz, peeps, you blew me away with the response. I can't handle your perfection, guys. Seriously. **

**0000000000000000000**

"Are you sure you saw them leave?"

Rebekah stumbled through the doorway, rolling her eyes as she twirled around to look at her fiancée. "I saw them leave, Stefan, for the tenth time," she said slowly, trying to keep her words from slurring. She probably shouldn't have had that last glass of wine, but as much as she loved Stefan, his work associates were just so drab and boring. "Caroline left out the side door and Nik followed soon thereafter. Honestly, Stefan."

Stefan shook his head, smiling as he watched Rebekah stumble down the step before growling under her breath and glaring at her shoes. _Because her shoes are why she can't walk straight,_ he thought, chuckling under his breath. "Well, excuse me for second guessing my boozy fiancée, Bex," he said, unabashedly letting his eyes take in the view as she bent over to wrestle with the buckle on her heels.

She whipped her head around to glare at him, her long blonde hair provided a curtain around her face. "I am not boozy," she protested, turning back to her task at hand. Her fingers fumbled against the straps and she gasped when suddenly she felt herself lurch forward.

Before she could connect with the ground, a strong arm wrapped around her waist while another grasped her arm. She shot up, leaning into Stefan's chest as he led her over to the couch. "These floorboards are uneven," she whined, closing her eyes as she plopped down onto the cushion.

She heard Stefan chuckle, and then felt his fingers caressing the skin of her ankles as he easily undid the buckles and slid the shoes off her feet. "Of course they are, babe," he said, leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss to her knee before rising to sit next to her on the couch. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as his eyes traveled to the staircase behind him.

"Careful, Mr. Salvatore," Rebekah said next to him. "If you continue to worry so, those horrible creases in your forehead will get worse."

"You said you liked my forehead," Stefan said, turning his head back to look at her. Her eyes were still closed, her head turned away from him as she rested against the pillows. Even sloshed out of her brain, she was beautiful. Even more so than when he had first seen her in that pub in London. He'd gone there to meet some of the partners, desperate to prove he wasn't just some "American wanker" who had a golden spoon in his mouth. He'd walked in, acting much more confident that he'd actually felt, and made a beeline for the bar. The whole ordeal would be easier once he'd had a drink or two, he'd decided. He had flagged down one of the passing waitresses carrying a tray of pints, but before he could grab hold of one, a hand reached past him and snatched it off the tray.

He'd turned, expecting some large, burly local to be glaring at him, but instead he saw Rebekah. She was standing behind him, one hand perched on a slender hip, the pint of ale rising to her smirking lips. Her perfectly arched eyebrows were raised in a challenge, and he couldn't help the smirk that crossed his own face as his eyes scoured her body. "Oh, by all mean, help yourself," he'd said.

She shrugged, licking her lips as she lowered the glass. "Oh, I plan to." His smirk had grown at her smug tone, and she shook her head, taking a step towards him. "Careful, Mr. Salvatore." She peered up at him, her blue eyes dancing across his face. "You won't do well in our court systems with a poker face like that." She raised herself to her tiptoes, her breath ghosting against the shell of his ear. "I can tell your every intention from here."

He could only stare as she'd pulled away, her red lips smiling up at him, and turned away to leave. Without thinking, he'd reached and grabbed her elbow, pulling her back a few steps until her back was pressed to his front. "Wait a minute," he said, his voice low as he craned his neck to look at her face. "Who are you?"

She smiled, pressing a finger to her lips, before she slipped from his grasp and disappeared into the crowd, leaving him standing in awe after her.

Eventually he'd learned her name. Learned that she was the younger sister of one of the senior partners, Finn Mikaelson, hence how she knew who he was. Learned that she visited that pub every Friday night. Learned that after every encounter, he found it harder and harder to leave her.

He'd fallen for her the second he'd seen her. And he was still falling, every day after.

"I do like your forehead," she said, her lips quirking up into a smile. "But the creases will make you look so much older than you already are, and I can't have people thinking I'm the arm candy of some old man sugar daddy."

Stefan laughed, shaking his head, and leaned over to press a kiss to her forehead. "You're hilarious," he said, pushing a few strands of hair out of her face. He saw her smile grow, and he grazed her cheek with the back of his fingers. "He won't hurt her, right?"

"Nik's not an idiot," she replied, sighing as she turned her head and peered up at him with sleepy eyes. "Well…he is an idiot. Be he doesn't toy with women, Stefan. He's seen what it does to them, and he made a vow long ago to never be one to do so. He might not be a steady, run-of-the-mill relationship guy…but then again, I've never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at Caroline." She watched as Stefan nodded, his eyes traveling once more to the staircase. "Anyway, don't worry about her. I already threatened Nik if he did anything to jeopardize the wedding, and in association, Caroline. He'll be watching his steps."

"You threatened him?" Stefan laughed, turning his gaze back to hers. "You threatened him."

Rebekah scoffed, struggling to prop herself up with her elbows. "Yes. I can be quite vicious and mean when I want to be."

"Oh, believe me, Bex, I know that," he replied, pushing her hair off her shoulder.

She grinned up at him. "Prove it then," she said, leaning forward slipping her hands underneath his button-up shirt. "Take me to bed, husband-to-be."

Stefan grinned, leaning down to press his lips against hers. "Anything for you, babe."

0000000000

She had done it now.

Caroline let out a weary sigh as she leaned against the headboard, a sheet wrapped tightly around her naked body. She ran a hand through her disheveled hair, slowly letting her gaze travel to the sleeping man lying next to her.

She had slept with Klaus.

For nearly 20 minutes she'd been sitting there, alternating between remembering the events of the last few hours and letting her eyes rake over Klaus' body as he slept. The sheets had pooled around his hips at some point, leaving his torso bared and visible in the moonlight. His chest was far more scarred than she had thought. Small, circular scars; long, jagged scars…she wondered where he had gotten them all. His comment about dark pasts and shady histories came to mind, but she had pushed them away, deciding to concentrate on the matters at hand.

She sighed again, her eyes moving to rest on Klaus' sleeping form. One strong arm was draped over his taut stomach, the other resting at his side. His head was turned towards her, his breathing even and shallow, and she was amazed he could still be so handsome even in sleep. No frown graced his face. No wary scowl clouded his eyes. He looked content. Peaceful.

Caroline knew this hadn't been the smartest move. She'd been completely sober, yes, but she'd also been angry. Angry and hurt. Mortified, even. She'd wanted to forget Vicki Donovan and her hurtful words; wanted to forget how she could go from confident vixen to insecure victim in so short a time span. She wanted to forget everything—everything but her and Klaus and the way he made her feel like she was the most desired and cherished thing in the entire world.

And forgot she did.

She could still feel the fiery trail his hands had left behind on her skin when he dragged the dress up over her head. She could still feel the coarse hair on his face scrape against the sensitive skin of her thighs. She could still feel the way his tongue had devoured her until she'd nearly forgotten her own name.

She felt that familiar burning in the bottom of her stomach, and as her eyes roamed across his battle-worn chest again, she bit back a strangled moan.

She had sure as hell done it now.

Wrapping the sheet tighter around herself, Caroline carefully slid to the edge of the bed, her feet silently slipping over the side and settling on the ground. She clutched the sheet to her chest with one hand while the other braced beside her. But before she could use the leverage to push herself away from the bed, a firm, familiar hand wrapped around her wrist and gave a sharp tug.

She gasped as she was propelled backwards, keeping a death grip on the sheet around her torso, and looked up to see the slightly groggy face of Klaus Mikaelson blinking down at her.

"Trying to make your escape, sweetheart?" he asked, his voice heavy with sleep, as he used his free hand to push the curls out of her face.

She stared up at him, trying to stop the shiver that went through her at the innocent touch of his skin grazing her cheek. His eyebrow arched slightly at her silence, and she shook herself out of her stupor. She shook her head, pushing herself to sit up, attempting to put some distance between them, but his hand stayed latched around her wrist, holding her to him. She sat, leaning her back slightly against his stomach. "I'm not sneaking out," she said, looking everywhere but at him and his handsome, sleepy face. "I'm just…you know…stretching my legs."

_Caroline, you stupid, brainless skank._

Klaus' lips quirked up into that smirk she had become so familiar with over the last few days. "Your legs need stretching then, love?" he asked in a cocky tone, the hand around her wrist now tracing lazy patterns against her pulse point. She could swear his smirk widened at the sudden jump in her heart rate.

She scoffed, shaking her head. "As if you didn't kn…like THAT'S why they need stretching. Seriously," she babbled, telling herself that his touch wasn't as distracting as it truly was. She sighed, looking back at him as he propped his chin on her shoulder, his blue eyes staring up at her intently. "I don't regret it," she suddenly said.

He shrugged. "Well, I should hope not," he said nonchalantly. "You were the one who made the first move after all. Jumping me outside the bar like I was a common trollop."

"I did not JUMP you," she said, laughing.

"Oh, I believe you did, love," he said softly, pressing his lips to the bare skin of her shoulder. "Not that you'll hear me complain. I wasn't exactly an innocent victim in the matter."

Caroline closed her eyes when she felt his lips continue to kiss a path across her shoulder and up her neck, the hand around her wrist moving to encircle her waist instead. She snapped her eyes open, breaking away from his hold before it could tighten anymore, and twisted around to look at him. He was like an Adonis, lying there propped on his side, the sheets haphazardly strewn across his hips and legs. She let out a shaky breath, raising her eyes to look into his own. "I don't regret it," she reiterated, her fingers tightening on the sheet around her chest. "But I think...we might have gotten a little carried away. You know, you'd been drinking and I was fresh off the battlefield with Vicki—"

"You're making excuses now, Caroline," Klaus said, pushing himself up until he was sitting against the headboard. Running a hand through his hair and down his face, he looked at her. "Starting to sound like regret to me."

"It's not," she argued, crossing her arms over her chest. "I knew what I was doing and I wanted it—God did I want it." She caught the slight raising of his eyebrows, and she glared at him, kicking herself for letting her wanton confession slip out. "But no matter how much we both might have wanted to end up in bed like this together or whatever the hell circumstances led to it, it doesn't change the fact that this is ridiculously complicated."

"What's so complicated?" Klaus questioned, his eyes unable to keep from traveling along her sheet-clad body. "Boy meets girl, girl meets boy…"

She rolled her eyes. "Sex, yeah, I get it, I know how it works, Klaus."

"Then why the argument? You weren't protesting a few short hours ago."

Caroline scoffed. "Yeah, well, that's because you were distracting me."

_With your dimples. And your hands. And your tongue. And your—_

_Stop it, Caroline! Focus!_

"The point of the matter is that four days ago, I didn't even know who you were, Klaus. I STILL don't know who are, really. I don't know anything about you. Other than the fact that you drink bourbon and love your sister and have rescued me at least…twice now. And that when you look at me, like you are right now, I feel like…" She sighed, unable to find the words to complete her train of thought. Or unwilling, she really didn't know. "I don't know. I just feel like since I came back to this town, I've been taken a million steps backwards and suddenly I'm that stupid little girl who jumps into bed with a complete stranger who she knows nothing about just because he called her pretty, and I just…"

Klaus cleared his throat. "Beautiful," he said softly. "I called you beautiful. Pretty wouldn't do you justice."

Caroline let out a laugh, shaking her head as she turned away from him. "That's not the point, Klaus."

"Then what is?" he asked, reaching out to pull her back onto the bed when she made a move to rise from it. "You want to get to know me, Caroline, then go ahead. Talk to me."

She looked at back at him, her eyebrows furrowed, even though a small smile was creeping up on her lips. "What?"

He shrugged, smiling. "You said you didn't want to jump into bed with a complete stranger you know nothing about, so let's remedy that, then. Talk to me." He grinned when her lips twitched again even as she rolled her eyes. "Come on, get to know me."

Caroline laughed, shaking her head. "Just because you tell me some random facts about yourself doesn't mean we're gonna have a repeat, Mikaelson."

Klaus smirked, shrugging. "Well, we'll just have to see where the night takes us then, love," he said, wrapping his fingers around her wrist once more and tugging her closer.

She relented with an eyeroll and an exaggerated sigh, and she curled onto her side and faced him, a small, amused smile on her face.

She learned about him over the next hour or so. She learned that, out of his siblings, he was closest with Rebekah, though he claimed his brother Elijah was his closest friend. He had never really been close with Finn, his other elder brother, and that while he loved his younger brother, Kol, he found him to be irritating and infuriating, which was why they could never be in the same room for long. His youngest brother, Henrick, he hadn't seen in years. He was in school over in England, barely 14, but he spoke about him with a fondness she found endearing. He skirted over the subject of his parents, and though she wanted to push more on the subject, she let him lead her into a subject of more comfort for him.

She learned he enjoyed jazz and classical music, though he enjoyed a good Journey song now and then, and that he preferred books to film and TV. She learned that he could draw—"Much more since I arrived in this one-pony town than I have in years," he said, his eyes caressing her face—and she could swear she could feel the blush down to her toes.

As they spoke, they'd drifted closer to each other on the bed, until they were mere inches apart. Her hands were resting against his chest, and one strong arm was wrapped snugly around her waist while the other cradled her cheek in his hand. Their noses brushed, eyes meeting, and then their lips were pressing together, his tongue slipping into her mouth when she let out a quiet moan.

One hand tangled into the curls on his head while the other caressed the side of his neck. The arm around her waist pulled her closer, and then she was being pushed back into the mattress, his strong body covering hers until they were bare flesh on flesh.

She could feel his length brushing up against her stomach, and she couldn't help the shaky breath she let out against his lips. He pulled away, his lips traveling across her jaw, down the column of her throat. His tongue darted out to trace a wet pattern against her collarbone, her pulse thundering under his ministrations.

Her hand trailed from his neck to his chest, her fingers tracing the many scars. "What about these?" she whispered breathily, feeling his hands travel down to grasp her hips.

"What about them?" he asked distractedly against her skin, one hand moving down to tickle the skin under her knee.

"How did you get them?" she asked, looking down at him when his lips stopped their journey across her chest, and his head raised to gaze up at her with hooded eyes.

He was silent for a long moment before he pressed a kiss to her lips. "Wrong place, wrong time," he murmured, trailing his lips across her cheek. "Bar fights, childhood accidents. There's more than one explanation."

Caroline tilted her head, giving him better access as he kissed down her neck again, lingering at the space where her shoulder met her collarbone. "There are so many though."

"It's a subject for another time, love," he said roughly against her throat, his grip tightening on her hips as he pressed himself against her, smiling when he heard her gasp. "I need to have you."

She knew he was avoiding the subject, but when she felt his fingers slide between her legs and rub against her wet folds, she cried out and pulled his face up to hers, crushing her lips to his. "Take me then," she whispered, shifting on the bed so her legs bracketed his hips and he fit snugly between them.

His fingers stopped their ministrations and she opened her mouth to protest, but then he was thrusting into her, and all she could do was let out a moan as her nails dug into the skin of his shoulders. He groaned against her neck, the pleasure mixing with the pain, and he withdrew from her before thrusting back in harder and deeper. They set a steady rhythm, her hips meeting him thrust for thrust. Their breaths mingled as their lips brushed against each other. The bed creaked with their movements, sheets rustling as skin grazed against skin.

Klaus could feel her walls tightening around him, and he pressed a hand to her lower back, pulling her tighter against him. His other hand trailed from her hip and down her thigh, tucking itself underneath her knee as his fingers dug into her skin. He pulled her knee up against his side, angling himself so he could dive deeper into her, and he was rewarded with a strangled cry and the feeling her of her hands tightening around his shoulders.

She was an addiction. Her skin, her mouth, her hands. Every inch of her—inside and out—he was finding himself relishing in. He couldn't walk away from her now, not after finally having her writhing underneath him, her face a mask of complete ecstasy. She was more than an infatuation now—she was an obsession.

"Klaus," he heard her pant, her breath ragged and harsh and heated against the skin of his shoulder. He raised his head, capturing her lips with his, swallowing her moans as his free hand traveled between their bodies and moved to caress her swollen nub. She tore her lips away from his, crying out as she felt her body tense. Her orgasm ripped through her, sending delicious ripples all the way down to her curling toes, and she threw her head back into the pillows.

Klaus sped up his pace, plunging into her frantically as he chased after his own end, coming undone with a low growl against her throat when he felt her walls clench around him again.

He collapsed against her, resting his weight on his forearms, careful not to crush her, and pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. He could feel her chest heaving against his as they both came down from their highs. Her hands were resting against his hips now, her fingers tracing nonsensical patterns against the slick skin of his back.

Klaus raised his head, pushing away the strands of hair from Caroline's face as he gazed down at her, pressing his lips softly against hers. She hummed contently against his lips, and he couldn't help but smile before he pulled away, pressing a kiss to her temple as he rolled off of her. His arm wrapped itself around her waist, pulling her closer until she rested against his chest. He buried his face in her hair, breathing her in, and he felt her fingers tickle down his chest before they hesitated over the long scar that wrapped around his torso.

Caroline felt him tense underneath her, and she let out a breath against his chest, her fingers traveling the length of the scar. "Klaus…" she said softly, a question in her voice.

"Another time, Caroline," he whispered into her hair, pressing his lips against her temple softly.

She nodded, her hands quickly going slack around his waist as she snuggled deeper into his chest. Once again, she drifted off in the comfort of his arms, a dozen questions answered but even more taking their place.

_Another time,_ she said to herself as her eyes drifted shut, but before she fell asleep, she felt his strong hand encase her own and pull it away from where it rested.

**000000000**

**So yeah…this was kind of just a filler chapter. A filler chapter that quite quickly took an a smutty aspect I hadn't originally planned. But oh well. Se la vie. **

**Leave your thoughts, concerns, and theories in the reviews. I've enjoyed reading your various theories to the story, and I grin when someone gets close. I promise we'll be delving a bit into Klaus' past in the next chapter or so, including the scars that captivate Caroline's attention so. Expect an appearance by another member of the Mikaelson clan soon, as well. Any guesses as to who?**

**Follow me on Tumblr, if you like: klarolineepiclove**


	11. Chapter 11

**Rescue Me**

**A.N. I cannot handle any of you. Seriously. I'm done. You are all too amazing for your own good. **

**I'm glad you all enjoyed a little glimpse into Stefan and Rebekah's background. They are a couple very near to my heart, so I love writing them. **

**So this chapter is dedicated to Kristen (sweetklausoline) and Melody (dhfreak) who I think sometimes are more excited for this story than I am. They are amazing, and if you don't love them both, you're doing something wrong.**

**00000000000000**

For the second time that morning, Caroline woke up huddled in the warmth of Klaus' embrace. She sighed contently, her body pleasantly numb from their early morning activities, and she raised her head from his shoulder, letting her chin rest upon his chest as she gazed up at him.

A smile tugged at her lips as she watched his handsome face.

She'd never quite experienced a night like the one they'd shared. She didn't mean the sex—though the term "best she'd ever had" certainly ran through her head once or twice—she'd had plenty of time spent in between the sheets since her teenage years. But she'd never honestly just talked to someone that was sharing her bed. Even with Damon, who fed her with every line she longed to hear because it played into his little anti-Stefan rampage, it was never more than a few passing words before the clothes were shed and conversation was promptly forgotten.

But last night with Klaus…

She couldn't quite put her finger on it. He'd been so closed and mysterious the first time she'd met him. And while there were still so many secrets he was keeping hidden, she felt like she saw him in a new light now.

Caroline sighed, letting her gaze drop to his chest as she watched her fingers trace patterns around one of the many scars that littered his torso.

She didn't know when she'd really started to like him. Sure, she'd been attracted at first. A handsome, hunky stranger with a killer accent comes roaring into your small town, you stop and take notice. But somewhere between picking him up on the side of the road that day and falling into bed with him last night, it had turned into something different.

Affection.

She liked Klaus.

Her head lifted when his chest suddenly rose with a deep breath, and she raised her eyes to see him looking down at her groggily through half-lidded eyes.

"Contemplating again, love?," he asked, his voice heavy with sleep even as his lips quirked up into that well-known smirk of his. "You do understand the term 'lazy morning', don't you?"

Caroline giggled, her fingers continuing their nonsensical journey across his skin, and she shrugged. "You know how I feel about silences," she said. "I've gotta occupy myself somehow."

Klaus chuckled, his chest shaking slightly, and he leaned down to wrap an arm around her waist, tugging her up closer as he ducked his head to gently capture her lips with his own. "Nothing too daunting, I hope," he said, his breath mingling with hers as he looked into her face.

She smiled, shaking her head, and leaned forwards to press her lips against his again.

She could feel her heart begin to race in her chest as his other arm came up to cradle her face in his hand, his thumb tracing back and forth against her cheek. She sighed into him, her lips parting to allow his tongue access to her own, and his grip tightened as her hands slid further down his chest.

Pushing herself up, she tugged at his bottom lip with her teeth, grinning when she heard his low growl of approval. She shifted, throwing one leg across his waist and pushing herself up until she straddled him, hands pressing against the taut muscles of his abdomen. His hands came up to cradle her hips, fingers digging into her skin as he pulled her closer, his morning erection pressing into her stomach through the thin sheet that separated them.

She could feel his muscles clench under her wandering touch, and she couldn't help the pride she felt at the power she had over him. SHE was making him feel that way. Miss Caroline Forbes, Mystic Falls very own Always Second Choice.

_Who was second choice now?, _she thought as his hands pulled her closer and his lips moved more frantically against her own. She sighed against his lips, her fingers grazing the spot where the sheet pooled around his hips. They moved further, caressing his skin, before they moved over the rough flesh of the scar that wrapped around his side.

She felt him tense under her, and she pulled away slightly, her eyes meeting his guarded ones before slipping down to where her hand rested against the angry scar. The skin around it was stretched, knitting around the jagged edges of the mark. Whatever the wound, it had to have been deep to leave behind such an angry looked scar.

Her fingers traced the jagged edgings, trailing across his hip and crawling up his back.

Before they could trek much further, he flinched underneath her and his hand came up to snatch her wrist, pulling her hand away.

She snapped her gaze back up to him, seeing his eyes shut tightly and his jaw clenched.

"Don't," he forced out, his words much harsher than the grip he had around her waist.

Caroline frowned, twisting her wrist out of his grasp, instead letting her fingers curl around his own as she brought their joined hands down to the mattress at their side.

"What happened?" she asked softly, her fingers curling into his as they rested against the bedsheet.

Klaus' eyes opened, his head tilting slightly to look at her, and she was sad to see an emotionless mask now covering his handsome face. Gone were the amused smirk and the lustful eyes. In a split second, he was back to being The Stranger.

He shrugged, his fingers loosening on her hips. "I told you last night, love," he said nonchalantly.

"Childhood accidents? What, were you playing around a pipeline or something?" she asked, laughing softly. His jaw clenched in response, and she felt her shoulders sag as she stared down at him. "Why won't you talk to me?"

"Because there's nothing to say, Caroline," he said, pulling his hand from hers and grasping her hips as he sat up. He moved to remove her from his lap, but she tightened her legs around him, pushing on his shoulders. He sighed in frustration, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her.

"Obviously, there's something," she argued quietly, resting her hands on his shoulders as her eyes drifted from his face, down to the scar, and back again. "Were you in a fight? Is that how you—"

"Caroline, would you just let it go?" Klaus suddenly barked, his arms falling away from her as he fell back against the pillows, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

Caroline stared at him, her hands resting on her sheet clad thighs as she contemplated his sudden change in behavior. "Why is it such a big deal?" she asked. "It's just a question. I mean, I thought we—"

"You thought we what?" he drawled, looking up at her. "That just because we rolled around in the sheets, that gives you free reign on every ask every impertinent question your mind can come up with?"

The harsh tone of his voice and his choice of words shocked her, and she shrunk back, eyes wide as they searched his expressionless face. His mask didn't even flinch as she stared down at him, and she scoffed, wrapping her arms around her chest as she hiked the sheet higher up higher on her body.

"No, actually," she said, unable to stop the anger that laced its way into her voice. "I kind of thought that, you know, since I shared probably some of the most secret things in my life to you, you would maybe, I don't know. Offer the same courtesy or something?"

Klaus sighed, slowly sitting up and scooting back against the bed, purposely moving Caroline further down his legs so she wasn't in such a…distracting position. "It's a bloody scar, Caroline," he said, glaring into her green eyes. "It doesn't matter where it came from, or how I got it, and frankly, it's none of your business."

Caroline scoffed loudly, her blonde curls bobbing against her shoulders as she shook her head, her grip tightening on the edge of the sheet. "Wow," she said, throwing back her head and letting her eyes gaze up at the ceiling as a small, saddened smile spread across her lips. She laughed, looking back at him as she shook her head. "Sorry, my mistake. I must have misunderstood the whole 'Get to know me' line you threw at me last night."

Crawling off of him, she sent a withering glare in his direction as she slid off the bed, hiking the sheet up around her feet as she searched the floor for her long ago discarded dress.

Klaus groaned, watching her stumble around angrily, and he closed his eyes, sighing as he pushed threw his legs over the side of the bed, his feet settling on the floor. "Caroline…"

"No, no," she said, holding up a hand as she looked at him. "God forbid I overstep my bounds again." She shook her head again, laughing under her breath. "I don't even know why I thought we were talking. You know, it's not like I told you some life-altering secret of mine or anything."

"Your sarcasm isn't appreciated, love."

"Yeah, well, I don't care if you appreciate it or not," she snapped, reaching down and grabbing her dress in her hands before she straightened back up. "As you said, it's none of my business."

She turned on her heel and headed for the door, hearing him sigh behind her. Her hand froze on the doorknob, and she gritted her teeth, whipping back around to face him in a whirl of blonde curls and white sheet. "You know, last night you were telling me all about how you never really felt connected to anyone and how you spend soooo much time by yourself. Well, sorry tell you, Klaus, but you don't freaking connect with people because you don't even try to understand them."

She watched him stand, wrapping a sheet around his waist as he took a step towards her, and she turned, yanking open the door with an irritated grunt.

"Caroline, where are you going?" she heard him ask.

"Away from you, you arrogant jackass," she called over her shoulder, slamming the door behind her before he could get another word in edgewise. She huffed, turning on her heel to head down the hall, and groaned when she nearly came face to face with Damon. She stumbled back a step, clutching the sheet tighter as he smirked at her, his ice-blue eyes more clear than she'd seen since she arrived in town.

"Trouble in paradise?" he asked, his smirk widening as his eyes traveled down the expanse of her sheet-clad form, a small chuckle escaping his lips when they landed on the bundle of wrinkled clothes in her arms. A tall glass of orange juice dangled from his fingertips, and Caroline would bet a thousand dollars that the liquid was much more booze than citrus.

She glared at him. "Oh, go drown in a whisky bottle," she muttered, shouldering passed him and sauntering down the hallway, her bare feet slapping angrily against the hardwood floor.

Damon craned his neck, smiling as he watched her turn the corner and disappear, the loud slamming of a door following soon after. He laughed, raising the glass to his lips as he glanced once more at the door next to him—the room that belonged to Rebekah's brother—before he turned to continue on his way. He stopped when he saw Stefan walking towards him, his younger brother's eyes lingering at the end of the hall where Caroline had just been moments ago. He recognized the look on his face—disappointment coupled with anger and annoyance.

An expression he was well familiar with.

"Morning, baby brother," he said, smirking as he lifted his glass in greeting.

Stefan eyes the glass warily. "It's 9 in the morning, Damon."

His brother shrugged. "It's a Mimosa. A traditional brunch beverage. So what if it's a few hours early?"

Stefan ignored him, crossing his arms across his chest as he stopped in front of him. "Was that Caroline?" he asked, his voice low as he met his brother's slightly inebriated gaze. He refused to feel sorry for him. It was Damon's own decision to spend his days drinking and detached from the world. He wouldn't shoulder the weight for him, no matter how badly he may want to.

"Little Miss Walk of Shame?" Damon asked, nodding. "Yep, sure was. And," he added, lifting a finger when he saw his brother about to speak. "Before you even ask, my hands are clean from this one. Well…this time at least. So you can point those judgy little eyes of yours in another direction. Namely that one." He motioned with his head towards Klaus' door, and he could see—rather than hear—Stefan sigh. "Yeah, Blondie seemed pretty pissed. So you might wanna nip this in the bud. Wouldn't want your best man-girl whatever she is to be moody during the nuptials." He smirked again, stepping around his brother as he lifted the glass to his lips once more.

"You should stop drinking, Damon," Stefan said, looking over his shoulder at his brother's departing figure. Damon waved a hand in the air, clearly indicating he truly didn't care at all for his brother's opinion, before he rounded the corner, his head tipping back as he downed the rest of the glass' contents.

Stefan sighed, shaking his head, and looked down the opposite end of the hall. He'd just barely managed to catch a glimpse of a scantily clad Caroline storming towards her room, a sheet wrapped haphazardly around her body. And then he'd seen Damon smirking after her, his face just as smug as the day he'd caught them both sneaking out from Damon's room all those years ago. He'd felt the familiar rage mixed with panic at the thought his brother had managed to get Caroline under his thumb again.

Though as he looked now at the closed door that led to Klaus' room, he honestly wasn't sure if this was any better an option.

He sighed, raising his hand to knock on the door in front of him. A moment passed, and then he heard a faint shuffling from the other side before the door was pulled open, revealing Klaus. He was dressed in a pair of jeans, his feet bare as well as his chest as he shrugged into a blue button up shirt. His look of surprise at seeing Stefan outside the door quickly passed, an amused smirk appearing on his face instead.

"Stefan," he said pleasantly, straightening his collar before he started on the buttons of his shirt. "To what do I owe such an early morning visit? Rebekah trouble again? She's quite a hothead, if you haven't noticed."

Stefan straightened his stance, keeping his face impassive as he met Klaus' gaze. "What happened with Caroline?" he demanded.

The smirk slid slowly off Klaus' face, and he let out a low chuckle as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Well, I don't really see how any of that's your business now, mate."

Stefan shook his head. "No, see, when it comes to Caroline, it is my business," he said. "We've had each other's backs for longer than I can even remember, so when anything even remotely concerns her, I make it my business. So I'll ask again. What happened with Caroline?"

He could see the anger spreading across Klaus' face as he spoke, and he watched as the older man straightened, his hands clenching slightly at his sides. His lips suddenly quirked up in a half smile as his eyebrows raised, his shoulders shrugging slightly. "Well, if I have to tell you, Stefan, then you certainly shouldn't be marrying my sister of all women."

Stefan gritted his teeth, uncrossing his arms as he took a step towards him. "Look, Klaus. I get that you're Rebekah's brother," he said, keeping his voice low as he met Klaus' stare. "I get that she's glad you're here, and she idolizes you and all that. But that doesn't give you the right to come into my house and toy with Caroline. She's not some puppet for you to waste your time with while you're here." He saw the other man's jaw clench tightly, and he took a step back. "She told me you know about the accident. That she told you. So you know that she's literally been to hell and back. And the last thing she needs is you coming around messing with her head. So if all you're looking for right now is some quick, painless 'wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am', then you can just back your bags and find somewhere else to stay. Because I won't let it happen."

Klaus narrowed his eyes at the younger man, his fingernails digging into the palm of his hands. He could feel that old, familiar rage welling up inside his chest. His hands itched for something to hit—and Stefan's face was certainly appealing at that moment.

It wasn't just the way he was talking to him—assuming that Caroline was nothing more than some meaningless one night stand. It was the way he was talking about HER. Like he had some stake or claim. Like she belonged to him.

It sent a stab of jealousy coursing through him.

"Are you threatening me, Salvatore?" he asked, taking a step towards him.

Stefan smirked, shaking his head as he momentarily let his gaze drop to the floor before meeting his own again. "No, Klaus," he said jovially, shrugging his shoulders. "It's a promise. Hurt Caroline, and I can guarantee you that whatever miserable life you've been living in solitude for the last three years…will pale in comparison to what I'll do to you." He smiled, nodding his head slightly, before he turned and headed down the hallway.

Klaus watched him go, his hand curling into a fist. He gritted his teeth as he turned, his arm jutting out and slamming his fist into the wall.

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"Go away, Stefan."

Stefan couldn't help but grin as he shut the door to Caroline's room, spotting the lump of covers that huddled in the center of the bed. "How'd you know it was me?" he asked, crossing the short distance and crawling onto the bed next to her.

"Because you always manage to catch me at my all-time low. Why break the record now?"

He laughed, leaning back on his elbow against the pillows as he peered down at her. She was curled on her side, a white sheet tucked snugly around her shoulders. Her mass of blonde curls was spread out on the pillow under her head, her hands tucked under her cheek as she stared at the wall in front of her.

"Oh, come on," he teased. "I've seen worse than this. Remember when you lost Little Miss Mystic to Tiki Anderson?"

He was rewarded with a chilly glare from the corner of her eyes, and he laughed softly, reaching out to push a strand of curl behind her ear.

"Wanna talk about it?"

She shook her head. "No."

He nodded, pausing, and waited.

"It's just," she started, and he smiled, glad to see that he still knew her so well. "We were clicking. You know? We were connecting and it was great, and then he got all…Klaus on me. And of course me, being typical Caroline, totally freaked out on him and blew it way out of proportion. But you know, it's not all my fault. He's at blame here, too."

Stefan nodded, letting her rant. "What do you mean he went all 'Klaus' on you?"

Caroline sighed, turning over onto her back as she scooted further up the bed, coming to rest against the headboard. "I mean, there's a difference. There's Klaus, Rebekah's jerk of a brother who's all arrogant and witty, and then there's Nik, the super cute British guy I met on the ride into town. You know, who jokes and makes me smile and makes me feel like I'm…more." She finished the last note on a whisper, and Stefan sighed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and tucking her close.

"You are more," he said to her.

Caroline snorted. "You're my best friend, Stefan. You have to say that."

He smiled. "Doesn't make it any less true." He watched her lips quirk up the slightest bit. "So what was the fight about, exactly?"

She sighed, shrugging half-heartedly. "He just won't talk to me," she said, tossing her hands up and letting them land in her lap. "I told him, Stefan. I told him the biggest thing I keep hidden."

"Uh, not exactly the—"

"And," she said, glaring at him as she cut him off. "The second I try to find out more about him—like how exactly he's so freaking understanding—he just shut down. He just…stopped. And I don't understand."

Stefan frowned, listening to her talk. He didn't know much about Klaus, other than the few facts Rebekah had shared with him. He was the third eldest of the children, very artistic and, sometimes, dramatic ("He's a complete drama queen, Stefan, you can't POSSIBLY imagine."). He'd left home once he turned 18, with barely a goodbye, though he checked in every few months or so with his younger siblings from different parts of the world. He'd grown estranged from the family for a few years, little to no contact at all with Rebekah, until he'd surfaced a few months ago. Then the proposal happened, and Rebekah had been elated to hear her brother was coming to spend the weeks leading up to the wedding with her.

"I don't know, Care," he said. "Maybe he just doesn't talk about it. I mean, you of all people know how hard it is to reveal certain aspects of your life you'd prefer stayed under wraps."

She nodded absently, her fingers tangling and untangling with each other on her lap. "I just…I felt like he got me. You know?"

"Maybe he does," Stefan replied, in the back of his head making a mental note to punch the hell out of Klaus Mikaelson for ever making Caroline this sad. "Everyone's got their demons, Caroline. Some are just…harder to confront than others."

Caroline nodded again, looking over at him. "So what? You think I should talk to him?"

"No, I'd actually prefer it if you let me throw him out on his sorry British ass," he answered, smiling when she rolled her eyes. "But, when have you ever listened to me? You do what you want."

His words held a double meaning, one that would fly past any outside listeners, but hit close to home with her. She looked at him, nodding, a small smile on her face. "Yes, I do," she said softly.

They looked at each other for a moment, nearly two decades of friendship passing through their minds, before Stefan smiled and leaned forwards, pressing an affectionate kiss to her forehead.

They sat that way for another moment, both silent, before Stefan glanced down at her.

"Are you naked under that sheet?"

She nodded, pursing her lips. "Yep."

He untangled his arm from her shoulders. "Gross."

Caroline laughed, shaking her head.

Only Stefan…

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Caroline mostly stayed to herself for the rest of the afternoon, turning down Rebekah's invitation to lunch and instead choosing to focus on her upcoming To-Do List for the wedding. She was, technically, the Best Man after all. And though, normally, the best man was primarily in charge of the bachelor party and other male activities, Stefan had granted her a reprieve, and instead Rebekah had asked her to help with the few last minute details.

Her bridal party consisted of two sisters-in-laws and a cousin by marriage, but none of them would be arriving for another week or so, leaving Rebekah on her own. And Caroline, loving party planning and everything that went along with it, had leapt at the chance to help. Especially since she and the other blonde were on their way towards a tentative friendship.

While Stefan and Rebekah went out to meet with the reverend that would be officiating the ceremony—not to mention going over last minute details with Jeremy Gilbert, an interaction Caroline was more than happy to avoid—she ran through her list of florists, cake testings, and decoration to-dos. She called the main floral shop in town, Artemis Flowers, and confirmed the specified floral arrangements and made sure to set delivery times. She set up a cake testing for the end of next week for Stefan and Rebekah, and made sure the wedding boutique had the exact shade of blue Rebekah wanted for the place settings.

She called the seamstress, making sure the appointment time for dress alterations was still set for the week before the wedding, and made a note in the back of her mind to ask Stefan what exactly a Grooms-girl wore to a wedding.

Before she had even noticed, the afternoon had flown by, and her stomach was roaring in anger. She hadn't eaten all day, and she wrapped a hand around her stomach as she crossed to her door and peeked out the hall.

There had been no sign of Klaus all day.

She didn't know if he'd snuck out or, like her, had decided that solitude was the best option. Though, why did she care? It wasn't her business, as he so kindly informed her that morning.

She sighed, skipping down the stairs as she hummed some pop ballad under her breath. The boarding house was silent, leading her to believe that Stefan and Rebekah were still out, and Damon….well, who knew where Damon was or what he was doing. Maybe he'd taken her advice and drowned himself in a boat size whiskey bottle.

Her amused smile only lasted moments though, when she rounded the corner into the kitchen and spotted Klaus leaning against the counter, a half-eaten apple in his hand. She stopped in her tracks, her heart suddenly leaping into her throat.

He was dressed casually, a pair of dark blue jeans and an equally dark button up shirt that looked far too good on him. His arms were crossed over his chest, one hand holding the apple close to his mouth as he smirked at her. "And she appears," he crooned, his accented voice floating across the kitchen.

Caroline sighed, making mental note to the teasing, flirtatious tone of his voice. _And we're back to being Nik,_ she thought, taking another step into the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?"

Klaus shrugged, crossing one ankle over the other. "I live here, sweetheart," he answered. "Temporarily, of course, but I'm almost positive you know that already."

Rolling her eyes, she shoved passed him, bumping her hip with his as she pushed him away from the edge of the counter so she could pull open the refrigerator door. "No," she said, making sure to avoid looking directly at him. She would not fold under his flirty gaze. She was mad at him, dammit. "I mean, what you are doing here right now? Shouldn't you be out handing out lines, telling girls to get to know you, then ripping the rug out from under them when they try to do just that?"

She heard him laugh, followed by the distinguishable sound of an apple being bit into.

"Come on now. You're not still upset about earlier?"

Caroline whipped her gaze towards him, slamming the fridge door shut as glass bottles shifted and clanked inside. "Yes, actually, I am." She turned, stepping around him, and heading out towards the main rooms, her hunger pains forgotten in her annoyance. She heard his footsteps follow closely behind.

"Come on, love," he said aft her. "We had a little spat. I'm over it already."

She scoffed, turning the corner and stepping down into the den. "Oh, well, I'm not, so you're shit out of luck."

She felt fingers wrap around her wrist and pull her to a stop, and she sighed as she turned to face him.

"What can I do to acquit myself?" he asked, peering down at her with an almost earnest expression.

She shifted on her feet, planting her free hand on her hip as she stared up at him defiantly. "Tell me where your scar came from."

Klaus sighed, his fingers dropping her wrist as he took a step back, and she laughed, shrugging.

"Yeah. That's what I thought. Whatever, Klaus, enjoy the rest of your visit with your sister." She turned on her heel to head back towards the staircase, but his voice calling to her made her stop.

"My father."

She froze, looking at him over her shoulder, a mask of confusion on her face. "What?"

Klaus stood at the edge of the room, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. His face was cautious as he studied her, his entire body language screaming just how uncomfortable he was in that moment. He swallowed the lump in his throat.

"You asked where the scar came from. I'm answering you."

Caroline's lips parted as she took in what he was saying, and she turned around fully, her face softening. "Your father…did that to you?" she asked, unable to really comprehend just what he was telling her in that moment.

She watched as his lips quirked up into a taunting smirk. "Well, stepfather, if we're going to be technical about things. That little tidbit came out later though, when all was said and done."

He spoke with such a menace in his voice, it nearly sent a chill down Caroline's spine.

He nodded at her, taking a step further into the room. "You accused me of not trying to understand people; of not connecting. There's a reason I'm so guarded, Caroline. A reason I don't trust as willingly as you might think I should." He stepped further, rounding the couch so he stood within a few feet of her, his eyes warily watching the expressions on her face. "Mikael," he sneered, cocking his jaw at the mere thought of the man he'd grown up calling father. "Discovered some time after my youngest brother was born that my mother hadn't been as faithful to him as he'd thought. She'd ventured away, and fell into step with some passing merchant out of Italy. They carried on an affair, while she continued to be wife to Mikael, and I was the product of their scandal."

He raised his eyes when he saw Caroline take a few small steps towards him, her arms crossed across her chest, and he swallowed the lump in his throat again when he felt her eyes piercing through him.

"She led Mikael to believe he was my father, after her lover abandoned her once she'd told him of her pregnancy. The ruse lasted for a while, I suppose, but after an unfortunate incident with falling off a horse and needed a cast and a blood transfusion, the truth came out. And Mikael's distaste for me began."

He trailed off, his eyes fixating on something over her shoulder only he could see, and his thoughts drifted to London and the torturous nights he endured thereafter. It had started with verbal insults strewn here and there—discouraging remarks about grades or sports or anything else Mikael could come up with it. The first time his father hit him, he hadn't known how to react. He hadn't known exactly what he'd done to warrant it. But once it happened again and again, each time escalating, he stopped trying to wonder, and started trying to avoid everything and anything that could set him off.

Mikael always found a reason though. No matter what it was…

Klaus jumped slightly when he felt Caroline's soft fingers curl against his own, and he cast a downward glance at her softened expression. "I don't want your pity, Caroline," he said, his voice low as he fought back the memories he'd so fought to forget. "You wanted to know, I'm telling you."

"Why?" she asked softly, peering up at him.

He sighed, wrapping his fingers around hers and pulling her just a bit closer. He closed his eyes and leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers. "Because I want you to know me," he said softly, opening his eyes and gazing at her. "Just like I want to know you. Shadows and all."

Caroline smiled up at him softly, one hand raising to gently caress his stubbled cheek, and then she was raising herself up on her tiptoes, pressing her lips softly to his.

It made sense now. The way he shut down, his defensive attitude towards her questions.

She was furious at the thought of a man thought to be a father could ever harm his son. She was furious that Klaus had had to endure abuse after abuse, all because of a mistake that wasn't his in the slightest.

She wondered then, if when Rebekah had mentioned Klaus' having his own demons to bear, if this was what she referred to. But she couldn't help but think there was more to it. There was more he wasn't telling her.

Just like there was more she wasn't telling him.

But as his arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her up against him, every thought but the way his tongue was dueling against hers and the feel of his hands traveling up under her shirt and down around the curve of her thighs flew from her mind.

She moaned quietly against him, her fingers tangling in the curls at his neck, and then she gasped when his hands cupped her bottom, pulling her up until she could wrap her legs around his waist. She smiled against his lips, nipping lightly as she felt him move forward, and then he was pressing her into the arm of the couch. He hovered over her, his hands caressing her jean covered calves and legs, his mouth fervently trailing a path down the curve of her neck. She arched her back, her legs wrapping around him again as her hands slipped beneath the collar of his shirt, caressing the skin the found there before making their way to the buttons. She undid them, one by one, and shoved the shirt off his shoulders.

He pulled away from her to slip his arms out of the sleeves, and then they were wrapped around her again, lifting up the hem of her shirt inch by inch. He kneeled down, pressing his lips to every sliver of creamy skin he revealed, and he felt her shuddering breath under his mouth, causing his smirk to grow with every kiss. He trailed upwards, passing the valley of her breasts, which were pushed together by the tiniest yellow and white polka dotted bra he'd ever seen in his life.

Caroline raised her arms over her head, and he tugged the shirt over and off, tossing it to the side before attacking her lips with his own. Her hands clawed at his back as he pushed her backwards, swallowing her squeal when they toppled over the arm of the couch and onto the cushions. They laughed, Klaus bracing a knee between her legs as he moved over her, his breath ghosting against her skin. She was smiling up at him, her eyes shining, and in that moment he knew he'd never seen anything more beautiful than the woman lying under him.

The backs of his fingers gently caressed her cheek, and then he leaned down again, pressing his lips to hers. His hands trailed down her sides, teasing the thin line of skin just above the hem of her jeans, as her own settled on his hips. He moved to the button, nipping at her bottom lip, but before he could move to undo it, a loud laugh from behind them tore them apart.

"Well, I was assured I'd find entertainment in this small town, but this certainly never crossed my mind."

Caroline gasped when she heard the stranger's voice, and she shot up against Klaus, pushing him off and over as she grabbed one of the throw pillows and clutched it to her chest, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to tame it.

Klaus, on the other hand, could do nothing other than gape across the room as the owner of the voice stepped down the stairs, an impish grin on his youthful face.

Caroline peered around Klaus' shoulder, finally seeing that the man was young, around her age she'd assume. He was tall, with brown hair and eyes that shone with a mischievous gleam. He was grinning at them, one hand under the strap of the duffel bag that was draped over his shoulder, the other buried in the pocket of his jacket.

She blushed when she noticed his eyes travel over her form, and she slid closer to Klaus when she felt his hand wrap around hers.

Klaus sighed, biting back the groan he felt welling in his throat. "Kol," he finally said.

Kol smiled, shrugging as he stepped further into the room.

"Long time, brother."

**0000000000000**

**KOL'S HERE! Woot woot!**

**So yeah. A lot of you guessed right that Klaus' scars came from abuse at Mikael's hands. But take note when Caroline thought there was more to the story than what he'd revealed—Klaus has a few more secrets up his sleeve. And don't worry, they will both be delving a bit more into the newly revealed subject in the chapter.**

**So my Klefan feels kind of took root in this chapter. And really, guys…it was so hard not to throw some headcanon Klefan facts in their confrontation. I can't help it…I ship them, guys. I ship them hard.**

**To everyone who's asking for more Damon—his time and tale is coming. There is a reason for his constant drinking, and I promise it will be revealed.**

**So please let me know what you think of this chapter. I always love reading your reviews.**

**Until next time my lovelies!**

**Follow me on Tumblr for random craziness and to see the awesome graphics a few people *coughcoughMelodycoughcough* made for this story. You can find me at klarolineepiclove.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Rescue Me**

**A.N.: I can't write a coherent author's note at the moment, because I am dead from the sheer awesome that is every single one of you. This story has more than 300 follows, which blows my mind in ways I can't even comprehend. You guys are amazing, and I'm super stoked you enjoyed Kol's arrival.**

**Um, and okay. How freaking wicked was the winter finale? Was anyone else seriously turned on during Klaus' O Holy Night massacre? Or…am I just a creep?**

**But seriously. I'm so glad to see dark!Klaus make a return. As much as I love fluffy Klaus with Caroline, I think it's super important people remember that he's still technically a villain. **

**000000000**

"_Always keep a quarter between your knees, Caroline. Trust me. It's a sure fire way to keep your ass out of trouble when the hormones start raging."_

Her Grandma Ida's voice was echoing in her head, and Caroline was suddenly wishing she had paid more attention to her cranky old grandmother's advice when she was growing up.

If she had, she more than likely wouldn't be in the situation she was in now.

She could practically hear her grandma's "I told you so" from beyond the grave.

Caroline could feel the heat rise to her face the longer Kol—as Klaus had addressed him seconds ago—took in the scene before him with an almost gleeful expression. She didn't miss the way his smug, arrogant smirked seemed to spread the second his eyes dropped below her chin level, and she was reminded very quickly that she was half naked, on a couch, with the other Mikaelson brother.

Klaus seemed to come to the same conclusion, because in a flash, an annoyed growl was crawling its way through his throat as he shifted his position, shielding Caroline from his brother's wandering gaze as he reached down and scooped up her discarded shirt. He turned, shooting her an apologetic glance as he pressed the fabric into her hands. "Put it on, love," he murmured quietly, but insistently, his gaze turning back to glare at his brother.

Kol was completely unrepentant as Caroline pulled the wrinkled material over her head, straightening and pulling at it until she was sure she was fully covered, before running a hand through her tousled tresses in an attempt to tame the mess Klaus' hands had surely made. She let her hand run down the length of her face as she bit back a groan.

A chuckle from behind her finally made her turn, and she watched as the younger brother strolled further into the room, dropping the duffel bag that was perched on his shoulder to the floor with a loud thump. "What? No, 'Hello, brother. Long time no see. You look as dashing as ever!' Honestly, Nik, I was expecting a bit more of a warmer welcome from you."

Klaus scoffed, checking once more to make sure Caroline was properly covered—and trying not to be too disappointed at the disappearance of her delectable skin—before he rose to his feet. "Perhaps a bit more of a warning then, brother," he said, irritation lacing his words. "I think we both know what tends to happen when you go lurking about in doorways."

Kol laughed, his handsome, youthful face stretched out in a wide grin, and Caroline could easily see the younger brother in him. "Old habits die hard," he said, tilting his head as he attempted to peer around his older brother at her. "Though I can easily see why your attention was otherwise diverted from my grand arrival. Hello, darling. Who might you be?"

Caroline rose to her feet, clearing her throat as smiled self-consciously. "Caroline," she said, stepping towards him and holding out of her hand. She caught Klaus frowning at her motion from the corner of her eyes, his gaze traveling between her and his brother as he shrugged into his own shirt.

Kol's face brightened, and he grinned as he took her hand in his. "The same Caroline that's been such a thorn in Rebekah's side for months? Well, in that case, love, we have a great deal in common. I believe we'll be fine friends then," he said, raising her hand to his lips and pressing a gentle kiss on her knuckles. He looked up at her, winking. "Emphasis, on 'fine.'"

Caroline laughed, shaking her head, even as Klaus came up to her side, encircling her waist with his arm and gently tugging her away from his brother's grasp. "That's enough, Kol," he muttered under his breath.

"Nik, please," Kol drawled, throwing out his arms at his sides. "I'm merely exchanging pleasantries with the lovely Caroline."

Klaus ignored him, relaxing slightly when he felt Caroline's hand slip into the back pocket of his jeans reassuringly.

The subtle motion didn't go unnoticed by Kol, who observed it with an arched brow. "Anyway," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Atlantic City was losing its appeal. And once Rebekah told me that the prodigal brother had already arrived to Mystic Falls, I knew I just had to come and join the pre-wedding fun." He grinned, looking at Caroline again. "Clearly, you already have a head start."

Feeling Klaus tense next to her, Caroline smiled, shrugging her shoulders. "Sorry, but I don't really think you could handle our level of fun, Kol."

"Oooh," Kol crooned, laughing as he shook his head, catching the smirk that formed on his brother's lips. "Beautiful and a sharp tongue. That's quite a deadly combination there, love. I'm sure you keep Nik on his toes. Though really, sweet Caroline, you shouldn't make assumptions. For all you know, it's you who can't handle MY fun."

Caroline rolled her eyes, shaking her head as a smile tugged at her lips. "Okay, on THAT note," she said, pulling her arm from around Klaus' waist and looking up at him. "I have more phone calls to make. And your brother just saw me almost naked. So I'm going to take what little dignity I have left, and go do my Best She-man duties. So you two go…bond or whatever it is long-lost brothers do and I will talk to you later…okay?"

Klaus nodded reluctantly, much rather preferring to whisk her away and finish what they had started on the couch. But she raised her eyebrows slightly, offering up a small, shy smile, and he knew that their talk later would involve much more than just words and a shared annoyance of Kol.

Hands in the back pocket of her jeans, she turned, smiling politely at the still smirking younger Mikaelson. "Kol, it was nice to meet you."

He grinned. "Believe me, Caroline, the pleasure was aaall mine."

Scoffing, Caroline rolled her eyes, shooting Klaus one more smile before she made her way to the stairs, unable to stop the smile spreading across her face when she could clearly feel Klaus' gaze burning into her back as she made her way to the next floor.

Klaus stared after her, admiring the way her hips swayed in a way he imagined was meant to be innocent but only sent ravishing images of those hips rising to meet his racing through his head. It took every ounce of strength he possessed not to forgo a reunion with his brother and follow her up those stairs. But Kol's hand slapping down onto his shoulder followed by an amused chuckle broke him from his less than proper thoughts, and he turned his head to see his brother looking at him with an amused expression.

"Well, aren't you just the smitten kitten, Niklaus."

The complete and utter joy in the tone of his voice made Klaus roll his eyes and shrug off his grip, casting an irritated scowl over his shoulder.

"I'm merely making an observation, brother," Kol said, smiling. "After all, who knew all it took for my big brother to mellow out a smidge was some long blonde hair and a pair of amazing perky—"

Klaus whipped towards him, eyes narrowed. "Say another word and I'll tear out your liver."

Kol raised his hands. "Cheekbones, brother. Must your mind always go to that dark, perverted place?" He made a clicking sound with his tongue. "Shame on you, Niklaus. She's seems like such a sweet girl."

Klaus gritted his teeth, closing his eyes as he shook his head and turned on his heel towards the kitchen. "Come on, then," he muttered under his breath. "If I'm going to survive the next few weeks with you around, I'm going to have to be much more inebriated than I am right now."

Kol laughed, clapping his hands once as he quickly caught up with him, wrapping one arm around his shoulder and the other across his chest. "Just like old times, brother."

Even Klaus couldn't stop the smile from crossing his face.

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Four hours later, Caroline sprawled out on her bed with an exhausted sigh. And it wasn't the type of exhaustion she would have much rather experienced for the afternoon with a certain curly haired Brit.

No, instead Caroline had spent the better part of the afternoon dealing with caterers and florists and the man with the thick Russian accent that insisted the swan ice sculpture would go best with the theme of the wedding. And she couldn't even really dispute it, since Rebekah really didn't have much of a theme other than the term "perfection."

She'd rescheduled the dress fitting, set up a time to choose the appetizers, and somewhere in between managed to sneak a phone call to Stefan's partner at the firm to make sure his coming bachelor party wouldn't land him in hot water with the future Mrs. Salvatore.

She sighed, leaning back against her pillows as she closed her eyes and threw an arm over her face.

This day had been quite the adventure.

Wake up from mind-blowing sex, have a minor meltdown, continue with more mind-blowing sex, then proceed to fight with said sexual partner, discover startling revelations about each other, kiss and almost make up, then get caught half naked and panting by said sexual partner's younger sibling. Throw in her awkward five minute conversation with her mother cancelling lunch once more, and Caroline could safely say this day was a day that was destined to send her to an early grave from stress induced trauma.

Lying in the silence of the room, Caroline couldn't help but let her thoughts drift towards Klaus. As much as she hated it, she still had some misgivings about delving into things with him. Yes, she liked him. He made her smile and laugh in ways she hadn't in years. He made her feel beautiful and intelligent, and like maybe there was so much more out there for her to accomplish.

But he clearly was hiding more than he was revealing.

She couldn't help the sick feeling she got in her stomach when she thought of Klaus' father and the horrendous abuse he was sure to have suffered at his hands. All because of something that was completely beyond his control. It made her sick to think of Klaus as a small boy, living in fear that every action or word he spoke would invoke a wrath that left him terrified.

But she couldn't help but think there was more to it. Something other than his horrible childhood was accountable for the shadows in his eyes and the wariness with which he carried himself. Something he seemed so completely unwilling to share…

And even as she thought it, she realized the hypocrisy of her own thoughts.

The bed suddenly shifted underneath her, and she started, opening her eyes as she started to push herself into a sitting position. But then Klaus' lips were pressing to hers and his hands were pushing her back into the mattress, wrapping around her waist as his body slid gracefully over hers. She giggled, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him closer.

"What happened to brotherly bonding," she asked, pulling her lips away from his, then smiling when he quickly set work to kissing down the column of her neck.

His breath ghosted against her skin as he laughed, his hands traveling teasingly down her sides to rest on her hips. "Bekah waltzed through the door and became Kol's new subject of torment." His lips drifted across her jaw, over her cheek, and up her to ear. "He's taken quite a fancy to you, love."

Caroline laughed, catching the possessive tone in his voice, and she shook her head, curling her fingers into his blonde curls as his lips continued their expedition. "Seriously? Your brother catches us half naked, with you on top of me, about to shimmy me out of my panties, and you're jealous? Really?"

"You're not familiar with Kol," Klaus replied, pressing his lips her shoulder. "He doesn't have any sense of boundaries. Can never get it through that thick skull when something's not his."

Caroline's fingers stopped their caress against his scalp, and she shifted slightly, looking down at him with a furrowed brow. "Are you saying I'm yours?" she asked, uncertainty on her face.

His lips stopped their gentle caress, and he slowly raised his head to meet her gaze, his face a mask of some emotional mixture she couldn't quite pinpoint. He stared at her for a long moment before leaning forward and capturing her lips in a slow, sensual kiss.

It wasn't an answer. It was barely an indication.

But it still sent a shiver down her spine.

Her hands traveled to the buttons of his shirt, quickly undoing the only two that held the material together. She pushed herself up, hands braced against his smooth bare chest, and she pushed, sending him toppling to the side as she threw a leg over his, effectively pinning him to the mattress. He grinned up at her, wrapping a hand in her hair and bringing her lips to his again.

Breaking the kiss, Caroline smiled as she pressed her lips against his throat, her mouth following the path her hands were leading across his collarbone and down his chest, her tongue darting out to trace patterns against his scarred flesh. She heard him let out a low moan as her lips traced the skin above his navel, and then her fingers were tracing the edge of the scar that had caused their rift earlier. She stopped, lifting her head to inspect in more closely, and then she was looking up at him.

Klaus' eyes were staring down at her , that familiar wary expression on his face. She sighed, letting her fingers graze the upraised flesh. "Where is he now?" she asked, looking up at him again. "Mikael?"

"Dead," Klaus replied simply, his finger absentmindedly playing with a strand of curl that rested against his hand. "A car accident, five years ago. He was drunk and drove into a guardrail." He didn't add that it wasn't a quick death, and that his so-called father sat pinned beneath the crushed metal of his car for hours before help arrived.

She nodded, biting her lower lip as she let that information sink in. Did it make her a horrible person to be relieved that such an evil man no longer walked the Earth? She looked at the scar again, noticing its length and obvious depth, and she couldn't help but ask, "How did he give you this one?"

She prepared herself for another deflection or argument, an outburst to show her just how uncomfortable he was with her questions. But instead he just shrugged, his free hand coming up to wrap around her hip. "He was disappointed at my complete inability as a 13-year old to change a flat," he stated, his fingers caressing the exposed skin between her shirt and pants. "He was drunk and had a tire iron handy." Her startled gasp was enough to make him freeze, and he met her shocked gaze.

"He hit you with a tire iron?"

Klaus stared at her for a moment, searching her gaze for that familiar flash of pity he had been so accustomed to as a boy, but instead he saw nothing but horror and concern for him. He shrugged again, once more continuing his ministrations against her skin.

"Do your siblings know? Your mother?"

"Elijah and Finn know. Kol, Rebekah and Henrik were blissfully kept in the dark. They knew of Mikael's distaste for me, but not the whole extent. Esther, on the other hand…"

He trailed off, and Caroline nodded, letting the subject drop. She hadn't expected him to answer her question, let alone the ones that followed. But she knew better than to press her limits. They were moving forward now. The last thing she wanted was to land two steps back.

"So people don't ask about the scars then?" she asked, her hands tracing patterns across his chest. "Rebekah or anyone?"

"I don't let people see them," he replied.

"Why not?"

He smirked, his fingers released her hair to brush against her cheek. "Why do you avoid returning to Mystic Falls?" he asked, watching her scoff softly and nod. "People look at them, and only see the scars."

Caroline nodded, shifting her weight so she straddled him completely, pushing herself up until her nose barely brushed his chin. "Yeah," she whispered softly, her lips pressing against the stubble on his jaw. "Well, maybe I just see the survivor underneath."

She spoke so earnestly, those words she whispered against his skin, and Klaus could feel his chest tighten. Never before had someone been so gentle with him. Her touch so light and yet it spoke volumes against her skin. Never had someone learned the truth about his battle scars and not looked at him with pity and disdain.

Never before had he ever felt so at ease with another person than he did with the blonde angel in his arms.

He shook his head slightly, gently reaching up and cupping the side of Caroline's face as he pulled her to him, crushing her lips to his. He felt her sigh against him, and he deepened the kiss, shifting their position until he hovered over her, her body pressed delightfully against his.

He whispered her name against her lips, his hands sneaking their way under her shirt to caress her skin, and he dedicated the next several hours to showing her just how much her words were appreciated.

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**Blech. Blech, blech, blech.**

**Okay. This chapter was not one of my finest. But I kind of needed a filler chapter before we dove into the rest of the story. So forgive me. I know it's very blech, but I hope you enjoyed at least a portion of it. **

**Klaus is slowly but surely opening up to Caroline…but will she do the same?**

**Next up we have a Founder's Family gathering, more Mikaelson relatives, a few skeletons in all the closets that are just dying to make an appearance.**

**So, please review, let me know what you think, even if you think it's horrible and awful. I take all criticisms. Though if you tell me it was horrible and awful, I may just cry into a bowl of Ben and Jerry's until I update again. Which will be soon, to make up for the wait with this one.**

**Once again, feel free to stalk me on Tumblr: klarolineepiclove**

**Until next time, my lovelies!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Rescue Me**

**A.N. Not gonna even say anything. Your perfection leaves me speechless. **

**00000000000**

Kol Mikaelson, as it turned out, was an obnoxious combination of both his brother and his sister. He seemed to possess both Rebekah's snarky attitude as well as her temper, and Klaus' stubbornness and every other little personality trait that drove Caroline crazy. He was like that tickle in your throat, and no matter how hard you harrumphed and coughed, it just never went away.

So imagine Caroline's distress when the youngest Mikaelson brother actually started to grow on her. He'd waltz into the room, a swagger in his step and lewd comment on his lips, and she would find herself rolling her eyes even as the smile spread across her face. Yes he was invasive—he got just a little too close when he leaned against the counter or his arm stretched across the back of the sofa just a bit too far when he sat next to her—but there was something almost innocent in his gestures. She knew he did it mostly to get a rise out of Klaus, who would take in their interactions with narrowed eyes and clenched fists. Kol would glance at her from the corner of his eyes, a smirk on his face, as he waited to see just how long he could prolong his antics before his brother would crack and nearly drag him away.

She hated to admit just how entertaining she found their brotherly dynamic.

She'd known already how close he was to Rebekah, but to finally see him as the older brother to his younger siblings let her see a new side of him. His annoyance with Kol couldn't disguise his love for him, as the small moments she caught when they'd be laughing off in a corner, or Kol would drape him arm over Klaus' shoulders as he followed him down the hall. She watched every exchange with a small smile, trying to ignore that little clench she felt in her chest as her eyes fixed on Nik's face.

The week after Kol's unexpected arrival was a flurry of activity. Rebekah and Stefan were mostly absent, their duties as bride and groom taking precedent over everything else. Rebekah had taken back the reigns for a short while on the planning front, opting to deal with Jeremy Gilbert herself, a move that Caroline greatly appreciated. Stefan was either at Rebekah's side or stuck at the office. Being the newest partner at the firm, he still felt that he needed to prove himself amongst the other sharks. Just because I'm getting married, he told Caroline over coffee one morning, doesn't give me a reason to slack off.

So Caroline's brief downtime was spent with Klaus. She found herself finding out more and more about him. His childhood in London—with the more gruesome accounts edited out; perhaps he didn't miss the way she flinched every time Mikael's name was mentioned. She listened with an amused smile as he recounted his adventures with his brother, and couldn't help but laugh at the image of a pig-tailed Rebekah chasing after them, begging to be apart of their "secret organization" that girls had no business being apart of.

She envied his stories of his siblings. An only child with two absentee parents, Caroline hadn't had a relationship like that. Though she had Stefan and he was like her brother, there was no mistaking the bond of siblings. There was something authentic about the way they interacted. It left her with a small ache in her chest—that desire to have that kind of family.

Caroline talked about her parents. She spoke about how her mom essentially became a workaholic after her father left with his new boyfriend. About how she would receive a check in her birthday card every year, but apart from that and presents mailed to her at Christmas, her time with her father was rather limited. He had a new life with Steven, and his young daughter. And though he still called and checked on Caroline, especially since the accident, she got the distinct feeling that he was moving on and forward. Throughout her entire retelling, Klaus lied next to her, a hand rubbing against her back reassuringly. The gesture itself meant more to Caroline than she could even imagine.

Everything they did together seemed to mean more to her now than she thought it would.

They hadn't talked about his somewhat admission the other week, when he referred to her as his. He'd been quiet on the subject since, and Caroline had chosen not to push. It was just something said in the moment, when his jealously had been high and the frustration of their almost-union being interrupted. It certainly didn't mean anything. They weren't a thing, really. Friends with benefits, at best. Though they both knew aspects of the other that few people did…

They were comfortable with each other. She chose to just leave it at that.

Klaus was propped against the headboard of Caroline's bed, chest bare, his sketch pad propped up on one knee as he hand danced across the page. His eyes were flickering between the paper under his hand and the beautiful muse that lounged at the end of the bed on her stomach, her legs kicking behind her as she smiled at the movie on the TV screen.

They'd long since stopped sleeping in opposite rooms, and he had slowly found his things migrating to Caroline's quarters as opposed to his own.

His eyes were raking across her form, from the messy ponytail at the top of her head, over her bare shoulders and down her slender back that was clothed by nothing more than a thin tank top. A pair of white boyshorts left her thighs exposed to his ogling, and her smooth legs crossed and uncrossed in the air behind her. She was exquisite, and she had absolutely no idea.

She giggled, her chin resting in her hands, and he couldn't help but smile softly. "You're not even paying attention to the movie," she whined playfully, twisting her head to peer at him.

He raised his eyebrows, shrugging his shoulders. "Why watch some inane comedy when I can focus on something much more appealing?" he asked, catching her swinging foot in his hand and tracing the sensitive skin of the arch. She laughed, jerking away from him, and he smiled, watching as she rose up to her knees and faced him.

"Come on!" she laughed, shaking her head. "This is such a classic. Stefan and I used to watch it every weekend, and it never got old."

Klaus scoffed. "Clearly we need to refine your definition of 'classic,' Caroline. Casablanca, Gone With the Wind, North by Northwest—now those are classics, love. This is nothing compared to that."

"Okay. I'll give you Casablanca. And I will admit that I got uber-chills when I saw Audrey Hepburn as the princess in Roman Holiday, but this," she said, looking back at the TV with a smile. "This is entertainment. I mean, seriously, you cannot tell me you've been sitting here this whole time and haven't enjoyed it. I heard you chuckling under your breath at some of the dialogue." She grinned, shrugging her shoulders. "You don't love me anymore, Armand," she said, her voice high and overly enunciated. She watched his lips quirk slightly, and her smile widened. "You look tired means you look old, and you look rested means you've had collagen." He shook his head, and Caroline laughed, dropping to her hands and knees as she slowly crawled her way to him, her hands tracing the length of his pajama clad legs as she moved. Lowering her voice, she pursed her lips at him, frowning. "I do not wear the shoes because they make me fall down."

Klaus laughed, shaking his head as he tossed his sketch pad onto he side table, dropping his arms to his sides as she crawled closer to him, her hands trailing up his chest.

"Work it, own it, sell it," she said, pressing a kiss to his chest before nibbling her way up his neck, smiling as she felt his arms come up around her. She raised her head, pressing her lips to his in a chaste kiss. "I don't want to be the only girl not dancing," she said softly, raising her eyebrows at him.

He smiled, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. "Trust me, love, you wouldn't be."

She kissed him again, her hand resting against the side of his neck. "I pierced the toast," she whispered, giggling softly.

He hummed against her mouth, tugging her into the curve of his body as he shifted onto his side. "Let me pierce _your_ toast," he murmured, moving to kiss her again, but her head jerked away as she let out a loud laugh.

"That was bad," she said, laughing, her eyes bright and shining as she looked at him.

"What?" he asked, laughing himself, wrapping his arm tighter around her waist to pull her closer, but her hand pressed against his chest, keeping a few inches between them.

"Seriously, that was horrible. Like, I think you completely ruined the mood for ever, Nik."

Klaus watched her laugh, watched the way her very face lit up with her happy giggles. He realized then that she had once again called him Nik—something she hadn't done since their first encounter weeks ago-and he couldn't help but laugh and shake his head as he pushed her back into the mattress, rolling his body gently onto hers as he swallowed every giggle that escaped her lips with his own.

And with every kiss and caress he told himself that this was nothing—this didn't mean anything to him.

Love was a weakness…

So what was it that tugged at his chest every time he met her eyes?

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"You seem awful chipper this morning."

Caroline rolled her eyes when Kol plopped down on the couch next to her. "Go away, I'm busy," she stated, her eyes fixed on the seating chart for the reception that was attached to her clipboard, silently debating at where exactly Stefan's great aunt Thelma was going to sit considering she loathed alcohol and the smell of chicken.

"Come now, love, I thought we were buds," Kol crooned, looking over her shoulder as he stretched his arm along the back of the couch. "We'd made such good progress this week, now you're shooing me away again." He sighed dramatically, shrugging his shoulders. "Well, at least your knickers aren't around your ankles this time."

Caroline jabbed her elbow into his side, secretly delighting in the grunt that cut off his chuckle, and she turned to glare at him. "My 'knickers' were not around my ankles, you ass," she said, shaking her head when he merely raised his eyebrows and grinned. "Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be out with Rebekah making sure your brothers get her alright?"

Kol groaned, throwing his head back. "They're all such bores," he complained. "Elijah is all moral, and 'Kol, that is not acceptable behavior,' and while Kat is certainly quite a delight to look at, she's a right frigid bitch. And don't even get me started on righteous Finn and his perfection of a brood, Caroline. The only saving grace of my family arriving is the fact that Henrik is tagging along. He's still young enough that I have an influence over him." He sighed, shaking his head. "Anyway, Rebekah is quite capable of wrangling the herd on her own. And why are you scolding me when Nik was out and gone before she even headed out?"

Caroline sighed, remembering Klaus' sudden distance when they woke up that morning. He'd been quiet and unresponsive, only replying to her questions when she pressed for one. She'd barely been fully awake and thrown the covers off before he was pressing a kiss to her lips, mumbling something about going for a run and he'd see her in a bit.

He was worked up about his family arriving. She knew he was anxious about seeing them again. It had been the better part of three years since they'd interacted, and that in itself would be enough to make Caroline shiver in nerves. But she imagined Klaus' nerves went deeper than that. He'd told her Finn and Elijah were the only two of his siblings that knew the truth about Mikael's mistreatment, and the fact that his mother—who she could only imagine knew full well what was happening to her son but was either unwilling or too afraid to do anything about it—would also be arriving with the youngest of the Mikaelson clan, Caroline could hardly imagine what was racing through Klaus' head.

"He has his reasons," she said quietly, setting the clipboard flat against her lap. "And anyway, aren't you even the least bit excited? Rebekah said it's been awhile since you've seen your family either. You guys are so close, I figured you'd be happy they're coming."

"Oh, I am," Kol said, shrugging again. "It's just so much more fun to be that annoying bane of a brother. The temper is a family trait. Always such a treat to see just how far I have to push them all until all hell breaks loose."

Caroline laughed. "Well, make sure hell breaks loose when you're all still here," she warned, smiling. "Rebekah has already arranged for a big family gathering at the Grill tonight to celebrate your whole family being together again, and she will rip out your eyeballs if you do anything to ruin it."

"Ah, Bekah…what an innocent bride-to-be."

She giggled, shaking her head, but a muffled sound from the kitchen made her pause. She passed her clipboard to Kol, ignoring his bewildered look at the various notes that peered up at him from the paper, and rose to her feet, heading down the hall towards the kitchen. She rounded the corner and saw Klaus chugging from a bottle of water, his face and arms sheening with sweat as his damp T-shirt clung to his chest. He looked over at her as he lowered the bottle from his lips, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he took a breath.

"Hey," she said, crossing her arms over her chest as she walked over to him, leaning a hip against the kitchen counter. "Good run?"

He shrugged, tossing the now empty bottle into the garbage can in the corner, before turning to her and leaning down, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Something bothering you, love? Not that I don't enjoy you welcoming back, but I sense that content smile on your face is just masking some unasked question."

Caroline sighed. She couldn't believe he'd caught onto that look already. It had taken Stefan at least a year before he had her concerned yet apprehensive look pegged. "I'm just…wondering how you're doing. You know…with your family coming in today and everything. You just didn't say much this morning, so…"

"I'm fine, Caroline," he replied, shrugging his shoulders.

She frowned. "Are you sure? Because you've been really…out there…since Rebekah told you they were coming a few days early. And I know there's all this unspoken history with you guys and it's been years since you've seen any of them, so I know it's got to be just a little nerve-wracking." She tilted her head as she took in his impassive expression. "Unless your poker face is way more convincing than mine."

He smirked at that and reached out, taking her hand in his. "Well, that's a given, Caroline. You can't lie to save your life."

She smiled. "Yeah, yeah…but you're really okay? You're not gonna revert back to jerk Klaus that I met at the engagement party and be all…" She scrunched up her face as she trailed off, her adorable expression causing a smile to spread across his face.

"No worries of that, love. Not when it comes to you, anyway. But truly, it's fine. I'd have to face them eventually anyway. Having you here makes a difference…"

"Yeah?" she asked softly, smiling up at him. He only tilted his chin down, his blue eyes peering into hers as his lips twitched into a lopsided smirk, and she raised herself on her tiptoes, brushing her lips against him gently, her heart thundering in her chest. "I'm here for as long as you need me," she whispered against his lips, smiling as she felt his arm wrap around her waist.

"You two are just all about those PDA moments, aren't you?"

They both turned as they saw Damon striding into the kitchen, shrugging into a leather jacket as he smirked at the entangled couple.

Caroline could see the red outline of his eyes, and noted the way his steps were just a bit sluggish compared to his normal, confident stride. The elder Salvatore was nursing quite the hangover from the looks of it, and instead of treating it with the healthy alternative, he was clearly choosing to go chase after the dog that bit him.

She sighed, turning to face him, aware of the arm that was still latched tightly around her waist, his grip even tighter, she noted. Peeking over at him, she could see Klaus' jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed as he took Damon in, and she was reminded of that night in the kitchen when he'd abruptly been informed of her less than savory past Stefan's brother.

She'd pegged it off as just a fluke, but now his jealousy was written plainly on his face.

"Where are you off to, Damon?" she asked softly, crossing her arms over her chest, the tips of her fingers brushing against Klaus' arm reassuringly as his grip tightened again.

"Gonna go drown my sorrows," Damon declared, crossing to the key rack that hung against the wall and pulling down a set, twirling them around his finger before he clutched them in the palm of his hand. "Not all of us have the luxury of running away from them, Blondie."

"I'd watch the way you speak to her, Mr. Salvatore," Klaus said firmly after catching the way Caroline's eyes skirted away from the dark haired Salvatore, a small sigh escaping from her before she could stop it.

"Oh, yeah," Damon said, shaking his head. "God forbid we hurt little Caroline Forbes' feelings with the brutal truth." He scoffed, shoving one hand in his pocket as he reached for the door handle. He cast a look at them over his shoulder, his lip curling up slightly as his eyes met Klaus'. "Best of luck, friend. She's a whole basket full of damage."

A low growl seemed to rumble from deep in Klaus' chest, and he took a threatening step towards the departing figure, but Caroline's hand latching around his wrist halted his steps. He stopped, turning to look at her. "He won't get away with speaking to you like that, Caroline."

"Nik, it's fine. Just…let him go."

"Let him go?" he demanded, looking over his shoulder when he heard the sound of Damon's vintage car roaring to life outside. "Caroline, he has no right—"

"He does, actually," she said, cutting him off. He frowned at her, and she sighed, running a hand quickly through her hair. "He and Elena were together…you know. Before she died. They were a…a thing."

He nodded, sighing. "So he blames you."

Caroline shrugged. "Blames me. Hates me. However you want to phrase it, I am pretty much the skum of the Earth to Damon nowadays. But trust me, that side of Damon that openly declares his hatred for me is rare. He's much more agreeable when he's wasted." She sighed when she saw his frown deepen. "It's fine, Nik."

"No, Caroline," he said, shaking his head. "It's not. Why can't you see the way he treats you—the way this whole bloody town treats you—is complete bollucks? It's insane, Caroline, the way you let them walk all over you, and it baffles me as to why you do." He reached out and gripped her shoulders, lowering his head until he could look into her eyes. "You're strong, love…why do you let them?"

A torrent of emotion was warring inside of her as he spoke. She knew that to him, it didn't make sense. That, if he were in her shoes, he wouldn't stand for the blatant disrespect and hatred that had been aimed at her since she arrived in town.

"It's complicated," she finally said, shrugging her shoulders out of his grip and taking a slight step back and away from him. "You wouldn't understand."

"Then explain it to me, Caroline," he said, waving an arm out at his side. "Because I'm at a complete loss at just how a woman as extraordinary as you lets some meaningless little town make her feel small and inconsequential. And don't try to deny it, love, it's written all over your face every time you step out the door."

"I just have to, okay?" she said, much louder and harsher than she intended, if the back step he took and the slight widening of his eyes were any indication. They stood there at a standstill, neither making a move to speak or take a step in either direction.

A shuffle of footsteps out in the hall sounded, and then Kol was craning his head around the corner, eyeing them warily. "You two might want to tone it down, brother," he said, his gaze traveling between them both. "And you may want to clean yourself up just a little. Our family's about to waltz through the door and I don't think the first impression you want to give them of you and the lovely Caroline is a bickering pair of dolts just glaring at each other."

He tapped his finger against the wall, letting his eyes linger on the evident tension that strained both of the couple, before he clucked his tongue and ducked back down the hall, his footsteps fading as he crept nearer and nearer to the foyer door.

Klaus let out a sigh as he ran a hand down his face. He shook his head, barely sparing Caroline a glance as he followed the route his brother had just taken.

Caroline groaned, covering her face with her hands as she rested her back against the counter edge, her blonde curls creating a curtain around her. She was an idiot. A big, dumb, stupid idiot. She'd wanted nothing more right then to just tell him everything. To tell him just how much it all bothered her. How she wasn't fine with it at all.

How desperate she was for it all to just end.

She sighed, wrapping her hands around her throat as she titled her head back. This day was such a contrast to the past week they'd shared. It was tense and awkward…

And when she heard the front door fly open and Rebekah's voice calling out for her brothers, she knew that it was far from over.

**000000000**

**Sooo…sorry it's a little on the short side. I just needed to lead up to the Mikaelson reunion, and really who can resist throwing in some Klaroline fluff in the meantime?**

**Hopefully most of you recognized the movie as the Birdcage—and yes, it really IS a classic in every right. It's a personal favorite, and I can say that I used to watch it every weekend with my brother, and it was literally all we quoted. Every second of every day. If you haven't seen it already, shame on you, and go remedy that blunder.**

**Next chapter, clearly, Elijah and Finn make their grand entrance, along with Katherine—who I really just can't help but add in, because Kalijah is kind of my closet OTP…though not really closet. Because I ship them loud and proud. We'll also get a look at Henrik, and who can forget Mama Mikaelson herself?**

**Let me know what you all thought, whether you hated or loved it. I enjoy hearing about it all.**

**Stalk me on Tumblr, if you can deal with my utter crazy: klarolineepiclove**


	14. Chapter 14

**Rescue Me**

**A.N. I have no words for you guys.**

**You've left me speechless. So…yeah. An early update to show my thanks.**

**Also, thanks to Meha****s. So...guys.**

** (aka givemeklaus aka The-Passionate-Sun), who's pretty much just awesome. (You know it, Meha…you know it.)**

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Caroline slowly made her way down the hallway after Klaus, arms wrapped tightly around herself in a protective cocoon. Klaus' pleading gaze was still a forefront in her mind, and her heart clenched. She could clearly see the confusion in his eyes; the hurt at the fact that she was still keeping something from him. She knew it was upsetting for him, after having told her such a personal aspect of his life.

But there were some things she just couldn't risk.

She sighed as she continued down the hall, stopping when she spotted Klaus' still figure lingering in the doorway between the main room and the hall. She slowed her steps, coming to a stop just behind him, and she looked at his profile, noticing the clench in his jaw and the way his eyes were trained on the scene unfolding before them.

Caroline looked over his shoulder, watching as, who she could only assume was a few of the missing Mikaelson clan, they sat down their luggage and gazed around the boarding house. She couldn't help but let her eyes rake over the family members, catching all their differences and similarities. There was a beautiful dark haired woman, with long dark curls that cascaded down her back. She stood at the side of an equally beautiful dark haired man, who stood proud and tall in an impeccable tailored suit. Next to them stood a tall, gangly boy—who she guessed was Henrik, the youngest sibling—and a tall, older blonde woman who seemed to exude elegance in a way that left Caroline envious. The matriarch of the Mikaelson clan was taking everything in with a trained eye, a friendly smile on her face.

She watched as Kol approached the four newcomers, his trademark smirk oddly absent from his face, instead a fond, small smile gracing his lips. His arms were swinging at his sides as he approached his family, his grin widening when the dark haired man smiled at him. "Elijah, you look uptight as always," Kol said. "Can't you go a single day without wearing a monkey suit? You know, jeans, T-shirt. Or, by Gods, can you imagine, _sweatpants_?"

The man—Elijah—chuckled under his breath, dropping his gaze to the floor briefly before shaking his head and looking at his brother. "Well, Kol, we can't all possess quite the knack for first impressions that you do, can we?"

"Oh, in the door for less than five minutes and already the veiled insults start flying," the dark haired woman said, a smirk on her face. "Clearly if this is any indication of how these next couple of weeks are going to go, we are all in for a long, ride."

"And the wonderfully witty Katherine," Kol crooned. "I must say, darling, my life has been rather bland without you and your sharp tongue."

Katherine pursed her lips, humming under her breath. "Oh, I've missed you too, Kol."

"Children, please," Esther's voice said quietly but firmly. All three turned to face her, and she arched an eyebrow in their direction. "Remember that you weren't raised in some tavern and please show that you actually do possess some form of manners. I'm sure Stefan doesn't appreciate your unruly behavior."

Stefan laughed as he slipped a duffel bag off his shoulder, letting it drop the floor by the staircase. "Oh, believe me, Mrs. Mikaelson, this is nothing. I've seen much worse than this."

"Esther, please. We'll be family soon enough, I don't think such formalities are needed anymore," she replied, watching her daughter's face light up at the mention of their upcoming nuptials with a happy smile. She turned as Henrik made his way over to his brothers, his youthful face breaking into a grin when Kol threw his arm over his shoulders, pulling him into his side in one of those brotherly hugs that looked much more like a torture method than an expression of affection. But the laughter coming from the younger boy's mouth and the smile on all three brother's faces certainly broke that allusion.

Next to her, Klaus let out a small sigh, and Caroline glanced over him to see his expression had softened, though his fingers were twitching restlessly at his side. "It does make it easier…you being here," he said to her softly, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. He didn't give her a chance to respond, however, instead pushing himself away from the wall and into the room. She watched him go, and watched as his family noticed his entrance, his mother's face breaking into a grin as she caught sight of her long-absent son.

"Niklaus," Esther breathed, her feet already carrying her closer to her son, her arms reaching out and pulling him to her. Klaus had to lower his head and crouch down a bit to accommodate his height difference with that of his mother, and his arms were awkwardly encircling her waist. She pulled back after a long moment, her face a mixture of emotions and her eyes shining slightly with unshed tears she was fighting to hold back. "It's been too long, my son."

Klaus nodded, an uncomfortable smile tugging at his lips slightly. "It has," he said softly, his eyes on hers as her hand came up to fondly cradle his cheek. "My apologies, Mother."

Esther smiled, shaking her head slightly, but before she could even open her mouth to reply, Henrik had made his way to his brother's side, grinning, his face a mask of complete adoration towards Klaus. "I don't get an apology, Nik?" he asked, his hands stuffed deep in the back pockets of his jeans. "You did miss my birthday, after all."

Klaus turned to him, a wide grin on his face, and from across the room Caroline couldn't help but smile at the complete transformation in him. With his mother he was almost hesitant. Straight forward. There was affection on his face and in his voice, but they were almost held at arms length, almost as if he were honestly afraid that they wouldn't be returned. Even with Esther's obvious joy at seeing her son, he still approached her with trepidation and wariness, and Caroline realized that the perhaps the events of his childhood still carried over when it came to his mother.

But with Henrik, his affection was obvious. His eyes seem to light up just a bit more, his smile just a little bit brighter. His stance was more relaxed, so much more at ease. He didn't need to put up a front with his younger brother. He didn't need to worry that he was being looked at differently. He was just the older brother. He was just Nik.

"I did send a gift," Klaus replied, reaching out to wrap an arm lazily across his shoulders.

Henrik nodded, shaking his head slightly to whip his shaggy bangs out of his eyes. "I got it. The model's almost put together already. I'll have the whole Parisian landscape assembled before too long. The Eiffel Tower was a bit of a bitch to put together, but it's done."

"Henrick!" Esther scolded, narrowing her eyes at her youngest child before turning her reprimanding gaze on her other children who snickered. "Do not encourage him, you all know how I detest such language. To hear it coming from the last one of you I still have some kind of control over isn't very reassuring."

Kol laughed, coming over to wrap an arm around her affectionately. "You'd best just face it, Mother. Henrik will become just as much as a heathen as the rest of us. There's not much hope now."

Esther rolled her eyes, sighing, the hint of a smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. She turned her gaze towards the hallway then, finally spotting Caroline hovering in the entryway, and she smiled, inclining her head slightly. "Excuse my rudeness, dear, I didn't notice you there," she said sweetly.

Caroline straightened, fixing a smile on her face when all the heads in the room instantly turned towards her.

"Caroline, darling," Kol said, waving her into the room when he saw her take a few hesitant steps towards them. "Come meet the far less attractive and sophisticated members of the family. Family," he addressed, smiling. "This is the lovely Caroline Forbes. The one shining light of this little miserable town." He ignored her embarrassed chuckle, choosing to instead wrap his arm around her shoulders, sending a wink in return of the glare Klaus gave him. "Caroline, may I introduce my brother Elijah and his charming but completely uncouth wife Katherine," the latter of which sent a scathing sneer in his direction. "Our younger brother, Henrik, in all his awkward teenage glory, and of course our mother, Esther, whose unending patience for her children's misbehavior certainly outweighs anything else I could possibly say about her." Catching his mother's warning glance, he smiled. "Not that there would be anything at all. She's perfection." He looked at Caroline, shrugging. "I would introduce you to our other brother and his endless brood, but they are oddly absent."

"Finn and Sage thought it would be too much of an imposition to house both them and the children, so they took two rooms at the local hotel," Esther explained with a smile. "They'll join us for dinner. But this is the famous Caroline. I've heard quite a bit about you from both my daughter and future son-in-law."

Caroline laughed, glancing over in Rebekah and Stefan's direction to see one cringing slightly and the other smiling. "Well, I'm sure Rebekah's account is probably more accurate than Stefan's. He's a bit biased, I guess."

"Caroline," Elijah said, coming up to them, his hands in the pockets of his perfectly creased pants. "The best man, if I recall correctly?"

Caroline nodded even as Stefan chuckled, wrapping his arm around Rebekah's waist as they stepped down into the foyer. "Best Girl…or Woman. We're still, uh…trying to work out the kinks of the title."

"Well, if you ask me, Nik and Caroline have been working out kinks just fine on their own," Kol retorted, his face breaking into a grin when he was immediately assaulted with two narrowed glares from the people in question. "Oh, my apologies, was I not supposed to mention that?"

"Seriously?" Caroline muttered, wrapping her arms around her waist as she felt the heat flood to her face when several pairs of eyes landed on her.

"Subtle, brother," Klaus said through gritted teeth.

"What Kol is trying—and miserably failing, as usual—to say," Rebekah interrupted, casting a glare at her brother, who merely shrugged unrepentantly, "is that Nik and Caroline—"

"Have spent most of their time either arguing or shagging. Really, Becca, I am capable of making a simple statement," Kol said, quickly dodging to the side when Klaus' hand reached out to grab him. He laughed, ignoring his brother's threatening stare and the way he was slowly pacing towards him.

"Enough!" Esther said, raising her voice to be heard over Kol's laughter and the growl that seemed to be emanating from somewhere deep in Klaus' chest. "Once again, children, manners if you please."

Caroline wanted nothing more at that moment than to be swallowed up by some hole in the ground. She could almost feel the gazes of the Mikaelson siblings raking her over, shifting between her shifted feet and their brother's almost defensive stance as he stared down his younger brother.

"Caroline, you must excuse my brothers," Elijah said suddenly, taking one step so he was situated between Kol's retreating figure and Klaus. "I'm afraid tact and civility is something that's not quite high up on either of their registers. While I'd say I'm sure Kol didn't mean to put you on the spot with his outburst, I'm afraid it most likely was his intent."

"Because he's an uncultured pig," Katherine added, twirling a lock of dark hair around her finger and rolling her eyes when Kol placed a hand over his chest, an offended look on his face.

"Kat called you a pig," Henrik snickered to his older brother, wincing when Rebekah's hand smacked the back of his head. "Lay off, Becca."

Rebekah smirked. "Behave like you actually have a brain in your skull and I will."

"I promise you, Caroline, my children do not always behave like common animals," Esther said, casting an equally disapproving glance at her offspring. "I do apologize. Perhaps you'll let us make it up to you—join us for dinner tonight."

Caroline, who'd been careful throughout this whole humiliating exchange to avoid Klaus' gaze, turned to look at him then, though the expression on his face was unreadable as he looked between her and his mother. She smiled at Esther, waving a hand dismissively in the air. "That's nice of you to offer, Mrs. Mikaelson, but I really wouldn't want to intrude."

"It's no intrusion, Caroline, please. My family has come together again and the circle is complete. And, from what I've gathered, you're Stefan's family as much as he's about to become ours, so I do insist." She smiled, her blonde hair bobbing lightly on her shoulders as she nodded. "It's going to be a magical evening."

Caroline smiled, glancing behind her to look at Stefan, a strained smile on his face and his eyes seeming to plead with her. She knew that if she turned down the offer, not only would it seem rude, but her best friend would most likely be spending the next several years making her regret the decision to leave him to fend on his own. She nodded, looking back at Esther, and nodded. "Sure. I'd love to."

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Once Caroline shut the door to her bedroom, she was surprised to hear the shower running from the adjacent bathroom. She'd been so preoccupied with her own humiliation at the brutal introduction she'd been put through and the well-deserved shove she gave Kol that she'd hadn't even noticed Klaus make his exit after Rebekah and Stefan had left to show everyone to their respective rooms. She certainly didn't expect him to return to her room. They hadn't exactly left on a particularly good note moments ago. But that didn't stop the pleased shiver that went down her spine when she realized that he'd chosen the room they'd been sharing for a week over the one he'd originally had.

She forced her attention away from Klaus and went straight for the closet, pulling open the doors with a sigh. What do you wear to a dinner with the family of the guy you were sleeping with? Was there even a protocol?

Settling on a pale blue dress with a ruffled skirt, Caroline shed her T-shirt and jeans and pulled the soft fabric over her head. She slipped into a pair of baby blue ballet flats and shrugged her shoulders into a white cardigan before turning the vanity across the room. She pulled her hair back into a twist at the nape of her neck, smoothing the fabric that rested against her legs as she took in her appearance with a critical eye.

_As always, you're as good as you're gonna get, Forbes._

The shower shut off suddenly, and Caroline could hear the door sliding open and the muffled sound of footsteps against the tiled floor. They'd had to face each other sooner or later, she reasoned, and she made her way to her bed, folding her legs underneath her as she sat and waited for him to come into the room.

He didn't take long, Klaus appearing in the doorway, a towel wrapped around his waist and steam billowing out in clouds from behind him. His eyes sought her out the second the door opened, and he kept one hand clenched around the edge of the towel as he made his way towards her slowly, brows arched as if waiting for her to make the first move.

She smiled, shrugging. "Your family sure is something."

A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. "I did warn you, love. We're a bit of a pill to swallow at first." She laughed softly, and he found his steps halting at the edge of the bed as his eyes slowly slid across her form, his lips quirking up. "You look lovely."

Caroline smiled, ducking her head as she pushed a stray hair behind her ear. "Yeah, well, I'd say you look lovely to, but…you're naked. So…" She laughed, raising her head. "Not that you aren't lovely naked, but I don't think your family would appreciate your attire at dinner. Especially after Kol's comments."

"Remind me to tear him apart later this evening, will you?" he asked softly, his hand reaching out to gently trace the curve of her cheek. "Though your skin takes on such an appealing glow when you're absolutely mortified."

She scoffed, shaking her head as she slid her legs over the edge of the bed, her feet settling on the floor between his own. "Well, I'm glad my complete and utter embarrassment is so enjoyable to you." Klaus chuckled, moving to sit next to her on the bed, running a hand through his damp curls. "Your mom seemed happy to see you."

He nodded, looking over at her.

"And Henrik. Who seems to have a bit of a case of hero worship, if I'm not mistaken."

At that he laughed, his head shaking slightly. "He's a bright lad. He'd wise up before he gets too deep in that notion."

"Well, still, they all seem great. Very familial. Not that I have a lot of experience in that area, but I can imagine, I guess." She tugged her lower lip into her teeth as she watched his head turn away from her, and she sighed, her shoulders drooping. "I'm sorry…for being so crazy in the kitchen earlier." He looked at her, and she shrugged. "I know you want to understand, Klaus…but there are just some things I need to keep to myself."

Klaus' eyes seemed to search her face for a long moment before he sighed. "What secrets are you hiding, Caroline," he asked softly, his hand gently covering hers on the bed sheet.

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied, thinking back to all the times he'd deflected her questions or managed to turn the tables so she was the subject of discussion.

"Well, aren't we a pair?" he countered, a small smile gracing his face.

Caroline returned his smile, her thumb tracing across his knuckles. They were a pair, she realized. Both seemingly stuck in this limbo of mystery, neither wanting to make the consensus to come clean. But in the back of her mind, she knew that whatever he was hiding from her couldn't be as horrible as everything he'd already learned about her. It couldn't be worse than the lie she'd been living all these years.

She raised her eyes when she felt him shift closer to her on the bed. His chin was tilted low, his blue eyes staring at her in that way that never failed to send a small shiver down her spine. She leaned forward, brushing her lips across his, and sighed when she felt his hand cup the back of her head softly.

Their lips moved in tandem, the kiss deepening, and Caroline knew that if she didn't pull away now—especially with his lack of dress and the tension that had been lingering between the two of them all day—things would only escalate to activities that would certainly make them later for the family dinner.

She pulled away, smiling at the tiny moan of protest that seemed to unknowingly slip from his mouth. "As fun as this is, your family already has an opinion of me thanks to Kol's little observation, and I'd rather not feed more coal to the fire."

Klaus laughed, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "We learned long ago to tune Kol and his ramblings out," he said, shaking his head as he rose to his feet. "I can assure you that my family are holding off any judgment on you until they have you cornered at dinner."

"Ooh, a family inquisition," she laughed, watching him make his way to the dresser where a pile of clothes were folded neatly. "What are my odds at surviving? How many other girls were pitted against the Round Table and lived to tell the tale?"

He smiled at her over his shoulder, laughing when he caught her eyes raking across him as he dropped the towel to the floor before pulling on a pair of boxers and black trousers. "Katherine and Sage," he said, shaking out the gray button up shirt before sliding his arms through the sleeves. "Kol knows Mother would never allow the kind of women he associates himself with to eat at our table, so he's never brought one around. And to my knowledge, Henrik hasn't quite reached the stage where he has the desire to do much else with a girl than what his hormones may be telling him."

She rolled her eyes, smiling. "And what about you? How many of Klaus' Mikaelson's girlfriends have passed this infamous test?"

He turned to her, fastening the buttons of his shirt before straightening the collar, his eyes fixed on hers. "Well, my stats will have to wait until after tonight, won't they?"

He didn't give her a chance to respond, instead walking over and holding out his hand. "Shall we?"

Caroline smiled, a strange, giddy feeling in her stomach at the idea that she could be the first girl Klaus has actually thought enough of to bring around his family, and took his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

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A table was already waiting for them as the group arrived at the Grill, and Caroline's eyes widened when she caught sight of a pretty redhead apparently wrangling three small children into their seats, all identical from their bright red hair to their dark green eyes. Sitting next to her was a tall man with dark hair, an amused smile on his face as he watched the woman talk in firm, hushed tones to the children. His gaze moved to the approaching group, and he leaned forward to speak softly to the woman, rising to his feet as she nodded.

"Ah, good," Kol said, smirking as he clapped the man on the back. "They've come wired and ready for a bit of fun, eh, Finn?"

"Sage will have your head if you rile them up anymore," Finn replied quietly, his statement accompanied by a glare and a nod from the redhead still seated—Sage.

"There will be pain," she said, sighing as one of the triplets knocked over a pepper shaker and the other two erupted into a fit of laughter. She slumped in her seat, defeated, blowing her hair out of her face.

Esther rounded the table, resting her hands on the tabletop as she looked over at her grandchildren, her brows arched and a knowing smile on her face. "This is not proper dinner etiquette, is it, young ones?" she asked.

The three children seemed to freeze in their spots at their grandmother's words, and silently they settled into their seats, hands clasped on the table and eyes on her.

"Impressive," Caroline said, smiling at Klaus when he pulled her chair out and brushed his hand against the back of her neck before taking his seat next to her.

Sage's gaze turned to her, a sigh on her lips as she rolled her eyes. "I promise they're not complete spoiled scoundrels," she said, motioning to her now docile children with a nod of her head. "Apparently taking a trip overseas is the equivalent to Disney World with these three. You must be Caroline?"

She nodded, silently wondering which Mikaelson had alerted Finn and his wife to her presence at dinner, but by the way Finn was quietly taking her in and Sage was looking at her in understanding, she had a sneaking suspicion Esther had phoned ahead and warned her son about "proper dinner etiquette."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Sage. My husband, Finn," she said, motioning to the man at her side, who nodded at her with a small smile. "And Aidan, Nichole, and Thomas." Each of the triplets looked over at her when their name was mentioned, and she smiled at them. "All of whom will be on their best behavior, now that we have a guest at the table, won't they?"

"Not if Uncle Kol has any say in the matter," Kol sang from his place next to Finn, grinning when his sister-in-law sent a scathing glare in his direction.

Before long, everyone was seated around the long table, Stefan situated at Caroline's other side with Rebekah's hand in his, a relieved sigh leaving his body once Caroline sent him a wink. She could only imagine his unease. Not only was he surrounded by his future wife's family, but one of them just happened to be a senior partner at his firm's sister firm in England. And if she remembered correctly, Finn wasn't exactly approving of the relationship he'd developed with his sister. Something about "American dunderheads" and their complete inability at being sensible or something like that. Either way, she didn't miss the glances that the oldest Mikaelson sent in his direction, and knew that even Rebekah's reassurances weren't going to completely erase his unease.

Conversation seemed to flow easily after their orders came, and Caroline found herself listening with interest as the siblings caught up with each other. It had apparently been some time since all of them were together at once. Elijah and Katherine—who she learned had been married for four years—lived in Paris, where their time was mostly consumed with their art dealership, an occupation that Caroline admitted she didn't truly see fitting with Katherine. She didn't know if it was her good looks or simply the way she carried herself with such confidence, but she would have pegged her for some designer or model.

Finn and Sage were situated in London, where of course Finn worked at the law firm and Sage stayed at home with the five-year-olds.

Esther, she learned, was an interior decorator, whose business had taken off in the last few years which, sadly, left her with little time to see her children as much as she'd like, save for Henrik, who was still in school and lived at home.

She learned that Finn was the quiet one of the bunch, seeming to prefer sitting back and taking everything in as opposed to conversing with everyone. Sage did most of the talking, with him interjected something here or there. Henrik was quite animated when he spoke, all waving hands and wide eyes, glued to Klaus' side and always looking to him for a response to some story or tale he'd just told.

Elijah was quiet, not unlike Finn, but much more forthcoming with conversation. Conversation that he had apparently decided was now going to be towards her.

"Caroline, Stefan mentioned you're in broadcasting."

Caroline nodded, taking a sip of her soda and looking at him over her glass. "Intern, more than anything really. It's not as glamorous as most people think."

"You have to start somewhere, though," Stefan said next to her, smiling when she looked at him. "She might be an intern, but Care's on her way. Didn't you say your boss was trusting you with more now?"

"Legwork, mostly. Checking facts, running statistics. Not quite in front of the cameras yet, but I'm slowly but surely determined to work my way up there."

Elijah nodded. "It's admirable," he complimented. "It's certainly not easy, working your way up from the bottom, but I commend you for your determination. I'm sure the airwaves will be graced with your lovely face much sooner than you anticipate."

Esther smiled, nodding at her from across the table. "It will be a welcome sight, I'm sure. I've not seen much American news sources, but the few I've come across I've found a bit lacking. You'd be a breath of fresh air."

Caroline smiled, lifting her glass to her lips again as she peered at Klaus from the corner of her eye. He was watching her with a fond smile, his arm draped across the back of her chair as the fingers of his other hand drummed a rhythm against the table.

"Rebekah, tell me of the wedding planning," Esther said, looking over at her daughter. "There still must be so much to do."

"There's not actually," Rebekah replied, setting her fork against her plate as she faced her mother. "Caroline's managed to secure the last of the few details. There's the dress fitting tomorrow that's still to come, and other than that, it's just a few tidbits here and there. She's been a relief, actually. I'd have to wonder if there would even be a wedding happening if Stefan had to handle me all on his own these past few weeks."

Even though their relationship had improved, Caroline was still slightly taken aback by Rebekah's compliment, and she smiled when Stefan glanced over at her, brows raised as if to prove his point that it just took some time to get used to her. She shook her head, laughing quietly under her breath. She looked over at Klaus, frowning when she saw his gaze fixed on something across the room, and she followed it, her frown deepening when she saw Damon's back seated at the bar.

She sighed, turning to face Klaus, and his head turned in her direction, brows raised in question. She leaned towards him, brushing her lips against his ear. "Let it go, remember?" she asked quietly, her hand settling on his knee under the table.

He shrugged, his own hand coming up to cover hers, raising it to his lips. "Agree to disagree, love," he replied, pressing a kiss to her knuckles as his thumb caressed the skin of her palm.

She frowned at him, but he simply turned his attention back to the story Katherine was telling about a new artist they'd commissioned recently, and Caroline sighed, settling back into her seat as Klaus brought their joined hands to rest on her lap. She saw Stefan lean towards her from the corner of her eye, and she turned to see him looking at her questionably, his gaze flickering to Klaus before coming back to rest on her. She shrugged, shaking her head as she smiled in reassurance.

The last thing Stefan needed was to be any more concerned with her relationship than he already was.

A slight commotion from across the room drew her attention for a moment, and she watched as a man stood up from his seat—someone from high school, though his name was escaping her at the moment—a grin on his face as he waved at someone coming through the door.

"LOCKWOOD!" he cried. "Welcome back, man!"

Time seemed to slow in that moment for Caroline, as she watched the man make his way towards the entrance of the Grill, quickly followed by a few of his friends that had sat around the table. She could feel her head swimming, could literally feel her lungs gasping for the air that was frozen in her chest.

She turned her head, slowly shifting her gaze to Stefan, and she caught his eyes making the same path hers had moments ago. He turned to look at her, concern and panic and worry etched across his face, and she suddenly felt so helpless just sitting there.

She could feel a lump in her throat forming as she slowly moved to look over her shoulder.

When her eyes caught sight of the familiar face walking into the Grill with a bright, smug smile, she felt her heart plummet. The busyness around her turned into a dull thrum, and she couldn't do anything but stare at the man that was slowly making his way further into the room, shaking hands and greeting familiar faces that had looked at her with such disdain.

She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. She couldn't focus on anything other than him.

Tyler Lockwood had returned home.

And she could feel the walls she's so carefully built around her starting to crumble when his shocked brown eyes finally met hers.

**0000000000**

**And Tyler makes his entrance. **

**Thoughts? Questions? Comments? Leave 'em in the reviews! **

**Follow me on Tumblr for more crazy, Alex craziness: klarolineepiclove**


	15. Chapter 15

**Rescue Me**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**A.N. At laaaast! An update! Thanks to everyone for sticking through my dark period of writer's block. Hopefully this longer chapter makes up for the wait. **

**Thanks to Meha to her input and review. BTW, if you haven't read her fic Therapy, go do it now. (Well...read this first. Or second. But either way, read this and that.)**

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_Music poured from the makeshift speakers that balanced precariously between two large oak trees. Teenagers danced between the rays of light cast by car headlights, their laughter loud and the smell of cheap alcohol on their breath._

_Old friendships were rekindled for the night. Promises to never lose touch were sworn. Tears, hugs, a million words of congratulations._

_High school was over._

"_It's the end of an era!" Caroline yelled, arms raised above her head as she gestured to the party going on around her. The foamy liquid in her red Styrofoam cup sloshed over the edge with her clumsy movements, and Stefan had to laugh as he stepped away from the stream. "Seriously, Stef. I don't think it's hit you yet. We. Are. Graduated. No more school. Okay? No more tests. No more cheer practice. No more football. I mean…we're done. It's over. Kaput. Finished. Comprende."_

"'_Comeprende' means 'understand', Care."_

_She nodded, her blonde curls bouncing with her over exaggerated movement. "Exactly! You don't understand, Stefan. You don't comprende."_

"_And I don't think you comprende that you have had way too much," Stefan laughed, reaching out and taking the glass from her. He watched, amused, as she stared at her now empty hand for a long moment, her befuddled mind working slowly, and he shook his head, raising the glass to his lips. _

_Caroline sighed, leaning into him as she draped an arm around his broad shoulders. "I'm sorry," she mumbled into his chest, feeling his arm wrap around her to hold her steady. "It's just…we waited SO long for this day. I mean, four years. Four years of adolescence and teachers and peer pressure. And we wait and bitch and moan for it to just be over, and now that it is, it seems like it happened so fast!"_

_Stefan nodded, taking another sip from the glass. He was no stranger to his best friend's ramblings. Even less of a stranger to her inebriated ramblings—which he often found much more entertaining. _

"_And now what happens? You go off to law school. Bonnie's goes and becomes some super awesome teacher who's gonna change student's lives. Elena is off to the mountains somewhere to write the next great American novel. Tyler's gonna go play football and become like, uber rich."_

"_And you, sweet Caroline," Stefan crooned. "Get to go off and become the next Walter Cronkite."_

_She giggled, looking up at him. "And that's the way it is." She leaned up, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I know I'm being silly. It's just bittersweet, you know?"_

"_I know."_

"_I mean…you have to take into consideration that, yes, most of us are moving on to bigger and better things. But that also means that pretty much no one is going to keep in touch. I mean…that's what happens. You graduate. You move away. And suddenly all those connections you spent years building are just…gone."_

_Stefan shrugged, tipping his head back as he downed the rest of his beer. _

"_But that's never happening to us, right?" she demanded, stepping back from him and raising her head. "You and me. I mean, we'll never be one of those cautionary high school tales of two best friends who never spoke again after graduation."_

"_Are you kidding? Do you have any idea how much trouble it's been incorporating you into my life this past decade, Forbes?" Stefan asked, grinning when he was met with a dazzling smile from the blonde. "Come on, Care. You and me are lifers. No amount of distance or college or career is going to change that."_

"_Best friends forever," she declared, holding out her pinky with raised eyebrows as she smiled._

_Stefan laughed, wrapping his own pinky finger around hers and tugging her hand closer. "Best friends forever."_

_Fumbling footsteps approaching them caught their attention, and Caroline turned her head, grinning when she caught sight of Tyler making his way towards them, a cocky grin on his face even as his eyes seemed to narrow in on their joined hands. "Hey, you," she said, giving Stefan's hand one last squeeze before she slipped her own away._

_Tyler grinned, wrapping an arm around her slender waist and tugging her forward, crushing his lips to hers in a clumsy kiss. _

_Caroline giggled, wrapping an arm around his neck as he pulled her closer. He tasted like cheap bear and tobacco, the latter of which she wasn't quite fond of, but no matter how many times she voiced it, Tyler always managed to sneak in a cigarette here and there without her knowing. She sighed happily against him, feeling his hand brush through the curls falling around her shoulders. _

_Tyler's eyes were hazy as he looked at her. "What are you guys all secret handshake about?" he asked, wrapping his arm around Caroline's waist possessively, a move that only seemed to elicit an eye roll from the other boy. _

_Caroline ignored the exchange. Tyler's jealousy over her friendship with Stefan was no secret, but she refused to feed fuel to the fire when it came to them. One day they'd get along, she reasoned with herself. They would have to. She certainly didn't plan on losing either one any time soon, so they would just have to suck it up for her. "Just making an oath that our friendship will stay stride and true throughout the next few years."_

_Tyler nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "Cute," he said. "Though, you know, the distance from here to Massachusetts is pretty big. And with football and your whole, you know, news anchor or whatever it is, thing, time to get back here probably won't happen a lot."_

"_So," Caroline laughed. "It's not like Stefan and I have to see each other every weekend to be friends. I mean…that's what Skype is for, right?"_

_Stefan smiled at her, crossing his arms over his chest. "Right. We'll manage."_

"_See?" she smiled at Tyler. "We'll manage."_

_Tyler nodded absently, lifting his arm in a greeting as he caught sight of Matt Donovan. "Yeah, sure," he said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I think Matt's headed out, I'll be right back." _

_Stefan sighed, seeing Caroline's face fall as she watched her boyfriend race off after his friend, not even sparing a backwards glance. _

"_Don't start," Caroline said, turning back to him and catching the familiar expression on his face. "It's a big night, and he's the star football player. You know, going off on a full ride scholarship and a future of professional playing. He's just distracted."_

"_He's always distracted," Stefan commented._

"_Stefan, come on. The two of you really need to get over your complete hatred of each other."_

_Stefan shrugged, smirking. "Well, pretty soon there'll be thousands of miles between us, so I won't even have to worry about it."_

_Caroline shoved his shoulder, grinning when he stumbled back a step. "You know, this party kind of escalated pretty quickly," she said, looking around at the groups of teenagers. Loud, boisterous laughter echoed through the Falls, the constant flowing kegs clearly having the desired effect on every individual. "Guess that's what happens when you've got a super lousy chaperone. Where is Damon, by the way? Off doing bad things to good people?"_

_Her words weren't necessarily angry, but Stefan caught the subtle undertone beneath them. Yes, Caroline had managed to put her brief encounters with Damon behind her, and while the relationship with the two brothers had somewhat improved in the two years since, Stefan knew those wounds were far from being healed and forgotten. _

_He shrugged, looking around him. "Last I saw him he was with Elena. I guess she drunk dialed her mom by accident, and they were on their way to pick her up. I think he wanted all the alone time he could get with her before they had to pretend to not even know each other again when her parents showed up."_

_Caroline rolled her eyes. The scandalous relationship that was Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert. The town's favorite daughter was dating the renowned black sheep of Mystic Falls. Behind closed doors, of course. With Greyson and Miranda Gilbert being such figure heads in the town, it would be Damon's head that would roll if the young couple were ever outted. _

_When Stefan had first told her about it, she'd been shocked. And worried. So worried that she'd gone straight to Elena and tried to warn her about the elder Salvatore. She left out the more personal details, of course. Though it wasn't any secret in town that Damon was the one who deflowered the Sheriff's daughter and consequently took her on a whirlwind of bad behavior that ended with a charge of indecent exposure for their late night romp in the Mystic Falls Cemetery. _

_Somehow, as a first offense, they had both gotten off with a warning. Though Damon's reputation was cemented that night, and Caroline's eyes had been brutally opened to the truth about the man she'd so blindly given herself to in her naivety._

_Elena would listen to none of it, though. He was different with her, she insisted. Damon showed her a different side—a side that she didn't believe even his own brother knew existed. She loved him, flaws and all, and she hoped that Caroline could look past everything and just be happy for her. _

_Caroline wasn't sure she could, but she'd plastered a smile on her face and hugged her friend, promising to keep silent until she felt the time was right to tell her parents._

"_Macking underneath oak trees, surrounded by drunken teenagers. Who knew such clandestine relationships could be so glamorous?"_

_Stefan laughed. "You can't believe everything you see in those movies of yours," he said, glancing over her shoulder as he spotted a figure stumbling towards a row of cars. Bonnie Bennett's hair was in disarray around her face, her hand on the hood of a Buick as she balanced on herself on uneven footing. Her face was peering down at the cell phone in her hands, eyes squinting as she tried to make out the buttons and numbers that no doubt were blurred across the screen. "Uh, looks like Bonnie's had herself a bit of a bender."_

_Caroline turned, laughing when she spotted their friend. "She always was a lightweight."_

"_Well, not everyone can have the strong constitutions that you and I so clearly have," he replied, chuckling. He tossed back the last of the lukewarm beer, cringing slightly the bitter taste, before passing the empty cup back to Caroline. "I'm going to go help her wrangle one of the DD's. The last thing any of need is Miss Sheila chasing us with a switch for letting her granddaughter drive drunk. Wait here."_

_Caroline scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're not the boss of me, Mr. Bossypants."_

"_You're just mad because you know you're gonna do it," he called over his shoulder, the grin evident in his voice as he strode towards the makeshift parking lot. "I'll be right back."_

_The blonde rolled her eyes, laughing under her breath. She raised a hand to her forehead, closing her eyes. Her head was swimming a little bit. Maybe that last beer had been pushing it a bit. Everything felt a little murky. Like she was moving in slow motion. _

_A hand crept around her waist and she started, snapping her eyes open and whipping her head around to meet Tyler's gaze, moaning softly when her feet seemed to stumble beneath her without her control. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind, and looking up into Tyler's face, smiling at his grin._

"_What do you say we get outta here?" he asked, his breath grazing her cheek. "We could go back to my place…end the last night of indentured studenthood with a bang."_

_Giggling, she leaned up on her tiptoes, brushing her lips against his. "Sounds fun. Just let me go find Stefan," she said, grinning as she turned to leave, but Tyler's iron grip on her wrist stopped her in her steps._

"_Why?"_

_Caroline laughed, pushing her blonde curls out of her face. "He's the DD designator."_

_Tyler shrugged, sliding his grip down to her hand and lacing their fingers. "Come on, we're fine," he said, moving backwards and tugging her along. "Look, it's like a five, ten minute drive. It'll be nothing." He frowned when he saw her hesitate. "Caroline."_

_His hazy gaze was boring into her, and she could feel a niggling feeling in the back of her mind. Biting her lower lip, she glanced over her shoulder towards the array of parked cars, her eyes seeking out the familiar head of hair and broad shoulders that was often the voice of reason in her life. But there was nothing but a mess of waving hands and bobbing bodies, slurred shouts of farewell and fumbled goodbye hugs. _

_Her hand slid into the back pocket of her jeans, her fingers tracing the cold metal of her key chain. She turned back to Tyler, watching as he stepped towards her, his hand outstretched, that familiar, flirty grin on his face. _

"_Care, come on. We're fine. Let's go."_

_Her head was swimming still. But all she could focus on was Tyler—his eager eyes, his easy smile. The complete feeling of safety and comfort that she felt with him._

_He would never let anything happen to her._

_She sighed, nodding, a small smile on her face. _

_00000000000000_

"Isn't that bloke at the bar that football player?"

Caroline blinked, shaking herself away from memories she'd been fighting against since she drove back into town. She could feel Stefan's hand against her upper arm, and glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she caught his concerned gaze shifting between her and Tyler. She tried to focus her attention on Henrik, who was peering curiously over towards the small gathering of men at the bar.

"Our football or the distasteful American pastime?" Finn asked, craning his neck to peer at the crowded bar behind them.

Kol snorted into his beer. "I sincerely doubt, brother, that Beckham would even fathom frequenting a hole in the wall establishment as this," he said. "I do, however, recall seeing his face plastered over every channel not too long ago. Something about having one of the fastest careers in football history or some bullocks like that."

Caroline told herself to breathe; to stay calm. She told herself she wouldn't even hazard another glance at the bar or the ever so familiar form that lingered there. She told herself that her racing heart was nothing more than jitters at possibly facing an ex-boyfriend. She told herself it had nothing to do with the crippling fear that seemed to clawing at every nerve in her body.

"Lockwood, isn't it?" Rebekah asked from the end of the table. "The Mayor's son, if I remember. Trenton or Thomas or something."

"Tyler," Stefan said softly, his hard gaze fixated on the man who kept casting glances in their direction.

Kol smacked a hand onto the table top, snapping his fingers as he grinned. "Tyler Lockwood. That's right. Bright lad, from what all the news sources are saying. Something about an arm of gold or some lot."

"American football," Finn said, draping his arm across the back of his chair as he crossed his legs at the knee. "It's such a mundane sport. Grown men chasing each other in skin tight uniforms chasing after a ball."

Sage laughed, turning her head to look at him as she swiped at a smear of ketchup on Aidan's chin with a napkin. "And that's different from soccer how?"

"Soccer takes skill," Finn said, shooting his wife a half-hearted glare. "Balance and agility. Not a game of Keep Away that usually ends with a dogpile of grunting, tightly clothed men."

"Our brother the philosopher," Kol said, leaning back in his chair. "I think there's bit more to it than that, Finn. Not that I don't agree with you. Now baseball, on the other hand…that's an American pastime I can get behind 100%."

"Is he a friend of yours?" Elijah asked, ignoring the debate going on between his brothers as he looked at Stefan and Caroline, his hands clasped together against his chin.

Caroline's breath caught in her throat. Her heartbeat thundered in her chest. She didn't want to answer these questions. She didn't want to let open the floodgates she could feel waiting to burst within her. Questions about Tyler, she feared, would lead to other questions she'd rather not answer.

Questions she doubted anyone wanted the answers to.

Stefan's fingers squeezed her arm reassuringly, and she shuddered out a quiet, shaky breath as she forced her body to relax. Her fingers were tight around Klaus', though if he noticed he didn't mention it. He was, however, glancing in her direction in regards to Elijah's question, and she forced a small smile onto her face.

"No," Stefan said, saving her from having to respond. She looked at him, wondering how he so easily was able to turn his face into a mask of complete relaxation and disregard, when she knew he was feeling almost as panicked as she was at that moment. "No, we went to school together, but I wouldn't call us friends."

Tyler was looking at their table from his place at the bar. Caroline couldn't make out much from her quick glances, but she could see his handsome face turned down in a frown as he watched them. One of the Fell brothers was idly talking to him, but his attention seemed to be focused on her. His gaze bore into, and she could feel her heart race.

She had never in a thousand years expected to see him in Mystic Falls again. She'd slightly kept tabs on him—she knew he'd skyrocketed into football after his first year of college. His full-ride sports scholarship hadn't been a waste. He'd gone on to do endorsements and commercials and his face had been plastered on the cover of Sports Illustrated at least twice.

He'd gotten the life he'd always dreamed.

She always figured he would have put this small town behind him, like he always said he would. He wasn't particularly close to either of his parents, so she couldn't help but wonder exactly why he was back in town in the first place.

It couldn't be to see her. They hadn't spoken in five years. Hadn't seen in each other in five years. He had completely cut his ties with her, it had appeared. And from the equal look of shock that had been on his face just moments ago, she had no doubt that he was just as surprised to see her as she was him.

Her head darted up when she caught a sudden movement from across the Grill, and her eyes widened when she saw him begin to head in her direction, saying a half-hearted apology to the man who'd been midsentence.

Her grip unconsciously tightened around Klaus' hand, and she jumped slightly when she felt his sudden breath against her ear.

"Everything alright, love?"

She turned to him, the soft murmur of his voice calming her racing heart just a bit. His brow was furrowed as his eyes looked over her in concern, and she wondered just how evident her panic was on her face. His thumb was tracing a soothing pattern against the top of her hand.

She braved a smile, shaking her head slightly. "Yeah, I just…I just have a little bit of a headache," she lied. Glancing over, she saw that Tyler was stopped a few feet from their table, his eyes darting over to her as he smiled politely at Mrs. Petterson, the woman who had been the librarian at Mystic Falls High throughout their entire school career. "I'm fine, but I'm just gonna…run to the bathroom."

Klaus was watching her, his dark gaze seeming to pierce her own, and she couldn't help but wonder if he knew she was lying. Could he know her that well? Or did he just sense the uneasiness in her voice and the worry on her face?

A flash of something flickered across his eyes—realization or disbelief or some emotion she couldn't quite pinpoint—but it was gone just as quickly, and he gave her a brief nod, squeezing her fingers with her own before he slipped his hand from her grasp.

She cringed when her chair scooted back with a loud screech and her sudden movement caused everyone's eyes to look to her. She muttered an apology, slipping out around her chair and away from the table, locking eyes with Stefan as she did.

Caroline tried to keep her pace slow and not take off towards the bathrooms at a sprint. She weaved her way around tables and booths, keeping her gaze focused on the floor and her scurrying feet.

She knew what she was doing was childish. She knew that if she was half as grown up and evolved as she constantly claimed she was, she would brace herself, turn around, and just face him. They would talk and catch up, and she knew that no mention of that horrible night five years ago would come up, because he had clearly tried to forget it.

But as she rounded the corner towards the bathrooms she glanced over her shoulder, catching sight of Tyler standing just beyond their table, a foreign expression on his face as he stood with his hands in the pockets of his pants staring after her.

Yes, she was a grown up now. Yes, she'd evolved from the naïve, foolish little girl she had used to be.

But Tyler Lockwood possessed the power to make her feel every bit of the old Caroline, and she could feel her resolve slowly slipping away.

0000000000

"She was acting a little off," Katherine remarked, taking a large gulp of her wine as she tossed her dark curls over her shoulder, arching an eyebrow at her husband when he sent her an unamused glance. She shrugged. "What? She was. I'm just pointing it out."

"Some would call that rude, my dear," Elijah said softly.

Katherine smirked, leaning back in her seat. "Well, as Kol already pointed out, I _am _rude. It's part of my charm."

Elijah smiled, leaning over to brush his lips against her cheek softly. "Perhaps you should leave a bit of mystery when it comes to the inner workings of your mind, my love."

Henrik looked up from his plate, smirking. "In case it's unclear, Kat, that's 'Lijah's way of saying to put a sock in it." He dodged the bread roll his sister-in-law tossed at him, exchanging an entertained look with Kol, who merely nodded in approval, pursing his lips as he watched the exchange.

Esther frowned from across the table, craning her neck to peer at the hallway Caroline had disappeared to. "She did seem a bit unnerved," she remarked, swiping at a wisp of hair that fell into her eyes. She sighed, smiling as she caught Klaus looking in the same direction. "She is a lovely girl, Niklaus."

Klaus turned at the sound of her voice, his eyes locking with her from across the table. He saw the sincerity in them, and he couldn't help but feel a small burst of satisfaction in his chest at the knowledge that his mother approved of Caroline.

But then he remembered that he wasn't supposed to care if she did. He and Caroline weren't together, after all. They certainly weren't dating. That wasn't something he did. He didn't date. He rarely spent the night with the same woman twice.

No, Caroline wasn't his girlfriend. She was barely a friend, really.

Though what _exactly_ she was to him—and he to her—was something unknown to him.

He schooled his features, allowing a small smile to tug at the corner of his lips as he regarded his mother coolly.

"She seems to have a good head on her shoulders," Esther continued. "Obviously dedicated. Driven, if her involvement in the wedding process is any indication. She's so…bright. Oddly, that seems to be the only word that comes to mind when I think of how to describe her. And clearly, she has an abundance of patience if she managed to tolerate Kol for any amount of time," she added, looking to her younger son.

"I will have you know, Mother, that I have been nothing but a joy towards, Caroline," Kol defended. "Isn't that right, Nik?"

"If by 'joy,' you mean 'nuisance,' then I must concur with you, brother."

Kol dropped his fork, the metal hitting his plate with a loud clank as he gaped at his brother. "I am disgusted with the lack of love and appreciation this family has for me," he said, glaring as his siblings chuckled and shook their heads. "Life would be so mundane and droll without me around."

Rebekah smirked at him, leaning to her side as she unconsciously rubbed her hand against Stefan's back. "That's called silence, and believe me when I say it's quite enjoyable."

"Regardless," Esther interrupted, unable to stop the fond smile that spread across her face. "She deserves a commendation of some sort for putting up with not one, but three of my children. Not to mention bearing the brunt of the rest of us for the next few days. Has she always been so resilient, Stefan?"

When her question was greeted with silence, Klaus glanced over at the younger Salvatore, frowning when he saw that his attention was focused in the direction Caroline had disappeared to, an odd expression on his face. He followed his line of vision, frowning when he spotted the football player that had been the subject of discussion minutes ago—Lockwood, if he remembered correctly—hovering outside the door to the bathrooms, hands buried deep in his pockets as he paced the short distance of the hallway.

Was he waiting for Caroline? She had seemed a bit surprised when she learned he had arrived to the Grill. And she'd excused herself in a hurry, almost seeming to dash for refuge, as if she were trying to escape something.

Or avoid someone.

He couldn't help the burst of jealousy and protectiveness that seemed to spread through him then. Who was this Tyler to her? An old friend? An ex-boyfriend? Either way, by the look on Stefan Salvatore's face, he didn't believe that Tyler Lockwood was a welcome visitor.

"Stefan?" Esther said again, reaching her hand across the table and gently tapping the table top.

Stefan's head snapped in her direction, his eyebrows raised in question as he met her gaze. "I'm sorry. What were you saying?" he asked distractedly.

"I was curious as to if Caroline was always so resilient," Esther answered. "She's seemed to endure more than her fair share since she arrived into town, what with my children being present at the same time."

Klaus watched as Stefan's face softened, a sigh escaping him even as a small, sad smile spread across his lips.

He nodded, dropping his gaze to the table. "She's the strongest person I know," he replied softly, tapping an indistinct rhythm on his thigh. He could sense Rebekah next to him, her arm wrapping itself further around his back when she felt him tense slightly. He glanced at her, noting her look of concern and confusion, and he smiled, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. "If you'll excuse me, I'm just going to go check on her. Excuse me."

He was aware of Klaus and Rebekah's gaze on his back as he left the table, but he pushed any thoughts of them to the back of his mind once he caught sight of Caroline trying to sneak out of the bathroom undetected, only to be startled when Tyler stepped into her path. He found his steps hurrying when he saw her body stiffen.

00000000000

"Caroline."

Her heart clenched in her chest when she heard his voice call her name, and she could barely breathe when she whirled around to face him, her eyes wide as he slowly made his way towards her.

Panic was clawing at her chest as she looked over his shoulder, searching for Stefan's gaze in the sea of faces and bodies. She had hoped he'd been watching—keeping an eye on her to make sure a confrontation like this didn't happen.

She couldn't face Tyler. Not now. Certainly not here.

But as he shifted into the hallway, effectively cutting off her route of escape, she realized that she didn't have much of a choice.

She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders, her fingernails digging into the skin of her palms as she clenched her hands into fists at her side. "Tyler," she said softly, and she cursed at just how unsteady her voice sounded.

The years had been good to Tyler. He still had the same good looks from high school, but they'd matured over the years. His jaw was stronger, his shoulders broader. His hair was shorter, but still worn in that spiky style she'd been so fond of their senior year. His dark eyes were the same, searching her face as he came to stand in front of her, and in them she could see their history and the future she had been so certain of with him—a future that was now nonexistent.

"I didn't know you were going to be in town," he said, shrugging as he shifted on his feet.

Caroline nodded. "Yeah, I've…been here for a few weeks. Stefan's getting married in a few days, so…"

Tyler's eyes flashed a hint of recognition, and he nodded. "Right, yeah, my mom mentioned that. That's great. I'm still surprised though. I mean…I never figured you'd come back."

"Mystic Falls is home," she said, frowning. Sure it was a home where she was treated like a leper, but it was still home all the same. Why people seemed to not understand that was lost to her.

"No, I know. I just mean…you know. There's a lot of bad history. I always just figured you'd put Mystic Falls in the rearview. Move on, you know?" He shrugged again. "Not that it's not great to see you. I mean, you look good."

She nodded, her eyes dropping to her feet. Her heart thundered in her ears. Hadn't she wanted to hear such things from him for years? Hadn't she wanted to hear anything from him, for that matter?

"Look, Caroline…"

"Hey," Stefan's voice interceded, both Caroline and Tyler turning to look at him as he approached.

Caroline heaved a sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing and her fists uncurling as he came to stand next to her, his shoulder bumping Tyler the slightest bit as he squeezed past him.

Stefan wrapped an arm around her waist, clenching his jaw as he turned to faced Tyler, a hard glint in his eyes. "Tyler."

The other man nodded, a bitter smirk on his face. "Stefan," he said, his eyes dropping to the arm around Caroline's waist as he scoffed. "Some things never change, I guess. Still joined at the hip, I see."

Stefan shrugged. "Well, unlike some people, I'm dependable. I don't run off and never look back once things get a little ugly." He smiled when Tyler's gaze narrowed. "How is the NFL, Lockwood? Everything you dreamed and more?"

"Stefan," Caroline said softly, placing her hand on his chest when she saw the flash of anger in Tyler's eyes. The Lockwood men had notorious tempers, a trait she knew was beneficial to Tyler's sporting career. Nothing was a better anger outlet than brutal force on a football field.

But there was no football field here, and the last thing she wanted was to draw more attention to them than there already was.

"Caroline and I were in the middle of a conversation," Tyler said. "So if you don't mind…"

"I do mind, actually," Stefan said, his arm tightening around the blonde at his side. "Your conversation happens to be interrupting our dinner with a few special guests. So if _you _don't mind," he continued, smiling at him in a way that was more mocking than friendly. "We'll just get back to it." He felt Caroline's fingers clutch at the fabric of his shirt as he pulled her with him, stepping around Tyler and making their way back towards the dining area.

Neither of them turned to see if Tyler had begun to follow them. Caroline simply leaned into Stefan, his firm embrace giving her the strength she needed to stay on her feet, and Stefan holding her close to him, his arms anchoring around her in a protective stance.

They both glanced up when Rebekah and Klaus met them halfway, Caroline's purse draped over Rebekah's arm. The blonde siblings were looking at them in obvious intrigue, their gazes occasionally drifting to the man that had regained his place at the bar.

"Apart from the triplets and Henrik, we decided to pass on dessert," Rebekah said. "Mother's going to stay and help Finn and Sage settle into the hotel before she comes back to the boarding house. I thought we could back, though."

Stefan nodded, glancing past them to see the rest of the Mikaelson family rising from their seats and headed towards the door, Elijah slipping his wallet back into his pants pocket, and he felt a slight stab of guilt at the fact that he hadn't pitched in with the bill.

Not exactly the best impression to make on the future in-laws.

He glanced over at Caroline when he felt her slip from beneath his grasp, and he watched as she made the short distance to Klaus' side, wrapping her hand around his as he tugged her closer, one hand reaching up to push a strand of loose hair behind her ear. Her body was completely relaxed under his ministration, her face looking up at him in a way he'd never seen Caroline look at anyone.

He felt a lump form in his throat, his eyes catching a similar expression on Klaus' face, though his was much more restrained. Almost as if he were refusing to acknowledge it himself.

"Stefan," Rebekah's voice spoke from at his side, and he tore his gaze away to look down at her, his lips breaking into a smile as she slipped her hand in his.

"Yeah, let's head back," he agreed, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist, urging her onward as he held her close against his front, her giggles seeming to soothe his uneasy mood.

Caroline watched them go, a fond smile on her face, before she felt Klaus tug her closer.

"Everything alright?" he asked, his head tilting to the side as he eyed the Lockwood boy staring at them from the bar, a bottle of beer dangling idly from his fingers.

Caroline nodded, forcing a smile as she looked up at him. "Yeah. Everything's fine," she said, raising on her tiptoes to press a chaste kiss against his lips. She pulled back, meeting his gaze. "It's easier…with you here," she echoed his words from earlier, smiling when his face seemed to soften.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, wrapping an arm around her waist as he guided them towards the exit, casting one last glance at the man behind them, not at all liking the glint he caught in his eyes.

000000000

"You and Damon. You and the Lockwood boy. Should I be concerned about running into any other former suitors over the next few days?"

Caroline's fingers stopped their gentle caress against his bare chest as his words rumbled through her ears, his lips brushing against the skin of her forehead as he spoke.

Upon returning to the boarding house hours ago, they'd joined Elijah and Katherine in an after-dinner drink, where Caroline had done her best to answer their small talk questions and listen as the two brothers discussed their various ventures and activities of the years past. Not that Klaus was all that forthcoming with his answers, but Elijah didn't seem bothered by his brother's evasiveness.

Esther had returned soon thereafter, Henrik on her heels as he plopped onto the couch next to Klaus, his head bobbing on his shoulders as he fought to stay awake. The time difference was starting to take a toll on the new arrivals, and they had all bid goodnight not long after, promises of a family breakfast before they all set out on their last minute wedding preparations the next day.

Caroline and Klaus had retired to her room, and once the door had shut behind them, she had found herself pressed against his, Klaus' lips hot and needy against the column of her throat as his body grinded into hers.

There had been an almost frantic feel to their lovemaking, like Klaus had felt he had to prove something to her in some way. He'd kept her close the whole time, his hands never once leaving her body as he buried himself in her, her gasps and cries of pleasure ringing in his ears with every movement.

She lifted her head from his chest, seeing his gaze fixed on the ceiling above them as his hand traced absentmindedly against her shoulder. She shrugged, smiling slightly. "Nope. You've pretty much met the bunch."

He nodded, his blonde hair tousled against the pillow. "I take he's the same Tyler that left you after the accident?"

"How did you…" she wondered, frowning. But then she remembered Vicki Donovan's acidic words from the night at the Grill weeks ago, and she sighed. Why did it seem so long ago that that had happened? Almost like it was a lifetime ago. "Tyler's just…well, he's a long story."

"What's so long about it?" Klaus asked, finally looking down at her. "He clearly wasn't man enough to stand by you during a time of difficulty. It's not that hard to explain, love."

_If you only knew, she_ thought, biting her lip as her index finger traced around one of the necklaces that hung from his neck.

She didn't want to talk about Tyler. She didn't want to think about the fact that she could run into him at any time now. She had no idea how long he was in town for, or why. She didn't want to think about it. Or worry about it.

"Well, what about you," she asked, smiling up at him when he glanced down at her with a raised brow. "Any jealous ex-girlfriends I should be worried are going to show up and bust up the nuptials in an effort to see you again?"

His chest rumbled beneath her as he laughed, his hand trailing from her shoulder to caress the skin of her back, and she shivered, goosebumps following the trail of his fingers.

"There aren't women brave enough to even consider treading on Rebekah's big day," he said, grinning at her. "She's quite a terror, my sister. They wouldn't live to the 'I do's'."

"So that's a yes, then?" she asked.

"No," he replied, shifting further down into the bed. "No girlfriends to worry about."

"What, not a one? You can't tell me I'm the only girl to fall victim to those dimples of yours, Mikaelson. I'm sure they've had a few fatalities over the years."

"None worth mentioning," he murmured, closing his eyes.

Caroline leaned up, resting her arms across his chest and propping her chin up on them. "So none at all? Not a single girlfriend?" His chest heaved with a sigh of annoyance and she laughed, spreading her fingers across his ribcage. "What? Come on, you got a first hand look at both of my failed relationships. Shouldn't I at least get a snippet of one of yours? It's only fair, Nik. Seriously."

His eyes slid open, peering down at her eager appearance, an amused smile tugging at his lips as he took in her disheveled hair and the slight flush on her cheeks that remained from their earlier activities. "Tatia," he finally said, reaching up and twirling a lock of her blonde curls around his finger. "Tatia Petrova. I was 17."

"Seventeen? None more recent? What did she utterly break your heart?" she joked.

He looked at her, his fingers ceasing their movements. "She did," he said quietly, watching as her face froze at his soft tone. "Which is why I haven't bothered with relationships since. I don't get invested, therefore I don't run the risk of it ever happening again."

The nonchalance with which he spoke perturbed her, an unusual tightening in her chest giving her pause. She dropped her gaze to her wandering fingers and his scarred abdomen, her chin dropping as she trailed her hand down his side. "What happened?" she asked quietly, preparing herself for his usual deflection and avoidance.

"She fell in love with Elijah."

Caroline's eyes snapped up his again, surprise registered on her face, and he smirked, shrugging his shoulders as his finger once again wrapped itself in her hair. "Long story short, she decided to play both sides for a bit, unable to decide which of us she favored more. It led to quite the falling out between Elijah and myself, but after some time we realized Tatia wasn't worth sacrificing family for." He met her gaze. "Elijah went on to meet Katherine, and from what I hear Tatia hasn't much evolved from the girl we left her as."

"And you?" Caroline asked softly, raising her head. "You just…gave up on it? The idea of love?"

"Love is a weakness, Caroline," he said after a moment, his hand dropping to the bedsheet. "It's not something I decided to indulge in again. It's a waste of time."

"Is that what you think of Rebekah and Stefan?" she questioned, ignoring the tightness in her chest. "That it's all a waste of time?"

Klaus shrugged. "Rebekah and I have very different views, Caroline."

She scoffed, rolling to her back as she clutched the sheets to her chest, pulling herself into a sitting position. "Yeah, I remember you mentioning that," she murmured, recalling his argument towards her in the Falls. He'd seemed so earnest then. So determined to get her to take a chance on him. And now it seemed like it was nothing.

"I've upset you," he stated, pushing himself up onto his elbows.

She knew she shouldn't be. She'd known going into this that there were no guarantees. They were both leaving in less than a week. Her back off to her life in the city, and Klaus back off to wherever it was he'd disappeared to, she imagined. They didn't have any ties to each other. After the wedding, they really had no reason to ever speak again.

She sighed, shaking her head as she ran a hand through her disheveled curls. "I'm fine," she said softly.

His fingers traced the curve of her elbow. "Caroline."

His voice was soft and pleading, an almost desperate tone to it. It was like he was begging her to not make him say it. He didn't want to admit to her that this wasn't anything more than an arrangement. An agreement between two willing people who both just needed a distraction.

This wasn't a relationship. They didn't mean anything to each other.

She turned to him, forcing a smile. His eyes were searching her face even as his mouth seemed to search for the words to say. She shook her head, leaning down until her body rested over his, her legs straddling his waist and her hands gripping his shoulders. She pressed her lips to his. "I'm fine, Nik," she whispered. She felt his hands grip her hips through the sheet, his lips peppering hers with kisses as he sighed against her.

No, they didn't mean anything to each other, she told herself.

Even as she realized that it was one of the biggest lies she'd ever told.

**00000000000**

**And the plot thickens...dun dun dun!**

**Thanks to everyone for their favorites and alerts and reviews! I swear my whole face lights up everytime I open my inbox and there's a notification. **

**Hopefully you guys enjoyed this one! I apologize for the lack of Klaus in the first half, but I promise to make up for it next chapter. Here's hoping it doesn't take half as long to get it up. There are some interesting twists and turns coming your way. **

**Follow me on Tumblr, if you dare: klarolineepiclove**


	16. Chapter 16

**Rescue Me**

**A.N. Wow. Okay. I seriously suck. It's been nearly a month since an update. You all have full permission to give me lip and harass me. But thank you so much for sticking through my absence and getting this story to over 500 reviews! Seriously! This blows my mind, considering this started as just a fun way to spend my two days off a week. It means to the world to me that you all have come to love this story as much as I have.**

**We've got a super long update, to make up for the long wait, so I hope you all like it. Quite a bit happens in this chapter, and we're drawing to a close in the story. It's bittersweet, but I hope you'll take time to let me know what you all think.**

**On a side note: Anyone catch the Oscars? What'd you all think?**

**As always, thanks to Meha, for enduring my empty promises of sending her the chapter and her unending enthusiasm for this story.**

**0000000000**

Steam clouded the room as Caroline stood beneath the shower head, tilting her head back and letting the hot water course down her back. She sighed, smoothing her hair back from her face and letting her hands rest against her neck.

She tried not to let her thoughts drift to the man she'd left sleeping in her bed minutes ago. The conversation she'd shared with Klaus the previous night was still resting heavily on her mind.

She knew it shouldn't bother her, his nonchalance towards the whole idea of relationships. She'd known getting into this that it wasn't lasting. They were having a fling. They were distractions to each other for their short stays in town. They were strangers to each other. It didn't matter that in a few short days, they'd never see each other again.

She closed her eyes, fighting against the tightness that erupted in her chest.

Leave it to her, Caroline Forbes, to start falling for her no strings attached fuck buddy. Leave it to her to fall for the guy that didn't believe in love or relationships and thought that the time they'd been spending these past few weeks getting to know each other was a complete waste of time.

Leave it to her to completely break her own heart before he even had the chance.

Caroline was so wrapped up in her own thoughts and self-pity that she didn't hear the shower door slide open or the person slip in behind her until she felt the path of feather light kisses he pressed against her shoulder. She jumped, whirling around to face him, her hands reaching out to steady herself against his shoulders as her feet slid against the slick the porcelain of the shower floor. She barely had to time to blink up at him, her heart skipping at the sight of his lean body glistening as he stepped under the stream of water, before his lips were pressing against hers, effectively stealing her breath.

Klaus felt her sigh against him, his fingers tracing lazily against her hips as he pressed against her, relishing in the feel of her every curve against his body. Her hands slid from his shoulders, her palms spreading out against his chest. "It's rude to leave a man lonely in a bed, Caroline," he murmured against her lips, hand tracing the curve of her spine, smirking when he felt the array of goosebumps spread under his touch.

Caroline smiled, giggling as she looked up at him, brushing her wet curls out of her face. "Well, maybe if somebody wasn't such a lazy bum and slept the day away."

"It's barely ten," he groused, lips grazing the skin of her cheek and chin as he pressed kissing against her slick skin. "Hardly sleeping the day away. Certainly early enough for a good morning treat."

His lips quirked up into a smirk at the last sentence, and Caroline couldn't help but roll her eyes, smiling as she leaned up, giving him a chaste kiss.

He scowled down at her. "Not quite what I had in mind, love," he said, frowning when she simply smiled and moved to slide around him. His hand reached out, holding her hip in a tight grip as he pulled her back to him, his other hand coming to cup the side of her neck. He leaned down to deepen the kiss, frowning when she pulled back, their lips barely grazing.

"I have to go meet Rebekah for the dress fitting," she told him, smiling at the pout his lips seemed to take on. "We're leaving in, like, half an hour."

Klaus shrugged, smirking against her skin as he nuzzled against her skin, pressing a slow trail of kisses down her neck and across her collarbone. He heard her sigh, and felt her fingers curl into fists against his chest as his own hands slid tantalizingly down the curves of her body. "Plenty of time," he whispered against her skin, dropping to his knees in front of her as his lips continued their trail down her torso. His tongue lapped at the rivets of water that cascaded over her breasts, his hands kneading the skin of her hips. Her hands rested against his shoulders, pressing into his flesh firmly, before tracing up the sides of his face and tangling into his matted curls. He smiled against her, his lips hovering just above her belly button.

Caroline closed her eyes, her body shuddering at the feel of his breath on her thighs. "Klaus," she protested, her voice nothing more than a husky moan as he pressed a kiss to her inner thigh.

"Come now, love," he crooned, grinning up at her when her fingers tightened in his hair. "It's not morning without a little treat." He gripped her leg, lifting it and perching it on his shoulder. He pushed her back until she leaned against the shower wall, and then he leaned forward, pressing his lips to her core and delighting in the moan that slipped past her lips.

She tilted her head back, resting against the cool tile behind her as he licked and sucked, delicious tremors of pleasure shooting through her body with every motion. His hands gripped her tightly, his stubble scratching against her sensitive skin as he tilted his head, and in the back of her mind she knew she should put a stop to this. She knew that the longer she indulged in him—the more she let herself enjoy him and everything he offered to her—the harder it was going to be for her to walk away.

Her legs trembled as she felt her oncoming orgasm, and every thought that was telling her to back away flew from her mind as she gripped the wet curls atop his head, pulling his face away and slipping her leg back to the ground, her heart racing in her chest as she dropped to his height, attacking his lips with her own, grinning when a primal growl seemed to erupt from his throat.

His hands were clenching around her waist even as her own pushed him back, his back meeting the wall as he straightened out, gazing up at her with lust filled eyes as she moved over him, straddling his hips. Her eyes met his as she leaned down, pressing her lips against his. His tongue slipped between her lips, one hand gently pushing her wet hair over her shoulder as the other gripped her hip.

Reaching between them, she grasped him in her hand as she slid down, gasping as he filled her, their lips breaking away as they both let out moans that echoed against the tiled walls. She arched against him as she began to move; slow, steady movements, her breath catching with every thrust as he filled her.

His hands were sliding against her slick skin—the span of her back, the curve of her hip, the valley between her breasts—before one came to rest against the nape of her neck, his fingers tangling into the mess of wet curls he found there. He pulled her face down to his with a groan, his eyes clenching shut as her hips twisted sinfully against him, and he crushed his lips to hers, her breath shuddering against him.

Her hands were braced against his shoulders, her fingers sliding against his skin as the water continued to pour down on them. Her knees squeaked against the tile as she shifted, her pace quickening, and she could feel her walls tightening around him as his hips bucked up to meet her thrust for thrust.

She couldn't think, in that moment, of anything other than him. As his hands grasped desperately at her hips, his mouth devouring hers with a passion that left her panting, the soft rhythm of his moans muffled against her skin—she knew that she'd fallen too far now.

At some point in the last few weeks, this had become much more than just some beneficial arrangement. She didn't see him as a stranger anymore. She didn't see him as the man she wouldn't miss when she put Mystic Falls in her rearview mirror again.

No. This was Nik, now. This was a man who had come to mean something to her. This was a man who had seen her shattered soul behind her smile and had slowly started to patch her up again, even if he didn't realize it. This was Nik.

This was her utter heartbreak.

Stars danced behind her eyes as sparks suddenly coursed through her, and she tore away from his lips with a cry, her head arching back as she came around him.

Through her haze of pleasure, she heard him groan against her neck, feeling his arms tighten around her as he jerked against her, both of them riding out the waves as they subsided.  
Caroline collapsed against him, chest heaving as she fought to catch her breath.

Klaus' lips were dancing across her shoulder as he hummed contently, his fingers tracing a pattern down her spine. The combination of his feather light touch and the luke warm water cascading across them made her shiver, and she tightened her hold around his neck as she lifted her head, brushing the bangs from her face as she looked at him.

His eyes were closed, his blonde curls matted against his forehead, lips pressed tightly to her skin. His breathing was more even now, though she could still feel his heart thundering against his chest, and she nibbled at her lip, lowering her head until her forehead rested against his.

He let out a sigh, his breath sending an array of goosebumps across her skin as he shifted, holding her closer and pressing a kiss to her lips. It was chaste and mild, a complete contradiction from the fiery passion they'd just shared, but seeming to speak volumes in itself.  
"You delight me, Caroline," he whispered, cradling her cheek in his hand.

Caroline's heart clenched in her chest at his words, even as her hand came up to caress the side of his neck, her eyes gazing down into his own. "Ditto," she said, braving a smile as he pressed a kiss to her jaw.

Her heart ached, in that moment, knowing that this euphoria she'd come to cherish would be ending all too soon.

0000000

"You certainly took your jolly good time getting downstairs this morning."

Caroline turned from the rack of dresses she was glancing through, watching with a raised brow as Katherine sauntered up to her in the bridal store, her long dark hair framing her face as she smirked.

Caroline was finding herself intimidated by Katherine Pierce-Mikaelson. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was about the woman, but something just made Caroline feel that she had to be on her toes around her. She was nice enough—though at times she found herself wondering at just how sincere the smile that graced the beauty's face honestly was. She'd never been flat out rude to her, and when she found herself in conversation with Elijah, it was Katherine that initiated a lot of it, but there was still a feeling in the back of her mind that made her second guess herself.

She knew family meant a great deal to the Mikaelsons—and it clearly extended to everyone bearing the last name.

She smiled at Katherine, laughing softly. "What do you mean?"

Katherine shrugged, shifting the dark blue fabric she had draped over her arms. "Just that you were almost late for the get out the door time," she said, her perfectly shaped eyebrows arching. "Nothing at all wrong with that. Though I couldn't help but notice Klaus dragging his feet down right along after you. Looking quite proud of himself, if I do say so."

Caroline could feel the blush that stained her cheeks at the brunette's words, her mind flashing back to her and Klaus' elicit shower session and the almost repeat they had while getting dressed. Obviously it was no secret that she and Klaus were sleeping together, but for some reason having his sister-in-law making the innuendoes made her self-conscious.

"Leave her be, Katherine," Sage chimed in, walking over to them, a dress on a hanger hung over her shoulder. Her dark red hair was piled high on her head, small wisps falling into her green eyes and making her expel of breath of air to push them away. "I'm sure Caroline doesn't want to divulge her dirty little secrets with Klaus, anymore than I want to hear them."

While Katherine put Caroline on edge, Sage was the Mikaelson wife that put her at ease. Perhaps it was the motherly aura she seemed to exude, and with exuberant triplets that seemed to take more after their ornery Uncle Kol than their straight laced father, she doubted it was a role she could ever shed.

Katherine laughed, glancing over her sister-in-law. "What?" she asked, tossing her curls over her shoulder as she shifted on her leather clad feet. "I'm just making conversation. Do you know how long it's been since I've even seen Klaus glance at a woman? I'm curious."

"There's not really a lot to be curious about," Caroline broke in, turning back to sift through the dresses. "Klaus and I are just friends."

Katherine snorted. "Sure. Friends who spend an awful a lot of time naked and moaning."

"Honestly, how does Elijah take you anywhere?" Sage pondered, frowning as she looked the brunette over. "Did he fashion a muzzle or…"

"I'm just saying," Katherine continued, shooting Sage an annoyed glare. "I've heard Elijah talk about Klaus and his solidarity and all that, so when we come into town to see him for the first time in years and find out that there's a cute little blonde bombshell attached to his hip, it raises my curiosity." She shrugged, turning back to Caroline, who shifted uneasily on her feet. "It's not a dig against you, Caroline. You seem great, and the fact that you're able to put Kol in his place with barely a look ranks you incredibly high in my book."

Sage hummed in agreement, nodding her head.

"Anyway, I'm just saying…it's interesting."

Caroline sighed, forcing a smile onto her face. "It's not actually," she insisted, running a hand through her hair. "We actually are just friends. You know, two grown adults who just happen to be in the same town at the same time for the same event, who came to a mutually beneficial arrangement that, if you both don't mind me saying so, really isn't any of your business." She looked at them, shaking her head slightly when she caught Sage's eyes widen the slightest bit and Katherine's lips turn up into what she was learning was a trademark smirk. "I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but it really is between me and Klaus. And I love that you guys are protective over him, but really, it's just…"

"Intrusive," Sage finished, smiling softly. "We get it. Well, I get it. Katherine just lacks tact and civility." She ignored the brunette's careless shrug. "You're right; it's between you and Klaus. We aren't trying to butt in. It's just a family thing. You'll learn."

_Sadly, I wont_, Caroline thought to herself, nodding as she smiled, her hands tangling into the fabric of the dress she had unconsciously pulled off the rack.

Katherine shifted her stance suddenly, a thoughtful look on her face as she tilted her head, arms crossed over her chest. "Mutually beneficial…so Klaus is good, then?"

"Katherine," Sage admonished, and Caroline couldn't help the startled laugh that slipped past her lips.

"What? You told me about Finn," the other woman defended, rolling her eyes when the redhead's face turned as bright as her hair. "I just want to know if it runs in the family. Because, let me tell you, Elijah—"

"Hey, Rebekah, how's it coming?" Caroline yelled loudly, turning on her heel and facing the curtained dressing room across the small the aisle. The very last thing she ever wanted in her head was the visuals Katherine's comments were sure to bring about. And she somehow doubted the bride-to-be would be pleased to walk in on that conversation.

Behind her, she heard Katherine let out an amused chuckle, followed by a whispered reprimand, which only lead to another laugh and a presumed toss of raven ringlets. Even as Caroline made her way towards the dressing room, she couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips.

"Rebekah?" she called again, stopping below the platform that led to the ruby red curtain, her brow furrowing at the silence that greeted her.

Rebekah had been oddly silent all morning, she realized. She had barely bitten out a reprimand for her near tardiness, and had almost seemed to be in a catatonic state the entire ride to the bridal shop. Once they'd arrived, she'd left the three women in the hands of an overly helpful sales associate, who explained to the two bridesmaids that the color scheme was navy, but the dress style was completely up to them. Since then, Rebekah hadn't reemerged from her curtained fortress, and her silence was oddly off-putting.

"I'll be out in a minute," Rebekah finally replied, her voice quiet.

Caroline frowned, noting the odd hitch in the blonde's voice.

"Well, hurry up," Katherine called, coming to join Caroline at the foot of the platform. "You've been going on and on and on about this gorgeous dress, so get your ass out here so we can actually see it."

Another beat of silence greeted them, during which all three women exchanged a confused glance, before a loud huff from behind the curtain was heard. In a swish, the curtains were drawn back harshly, Rebekah gripping the thick fabric in her hands as she pushed herself out and onto the platform.

Katherine didn't exaggerate—her dress was gorgeous.

The pleated ivory bodice hugged her tightly, showing off her petite hourglass. The sweetheart neckline dipped low in the front before curving upwards, an intricate pattern of sparkling beads accentuating her bosom as they weaved around the heart shaped top. The pattern continued down the bodice, spiraling down her hip and wrapping around the cinched waist, before they disappeared above the full, ball gown skirt. The skirt fell in waves around her legs, all ruffles and chiffon and white gossamer material, spiraling out and around her in a flurry of sparkle and lace.  
She looked like Cinderella, waltzing into the ball just before the stroke of midnight.

Apart, of course, from the tears that were staining her face.

"Rebekah," Sage gasped, taking a step towards her as her eyes gazed in awe of the dress. "You look so, so beautiful. My God, I just…"

Rebekah scoffed, shaking her head. "It doesn't fit," she cried, covering her face with her hands as her shoulders slumped.

"What?" Katherine asked, taking a step towards the platform, a frown on her face.

"The bloody dress doesn't fit; it won't tie in back!"

She stomped over to the floor length mirror, the fabric of her skirts swishing against her legs as she moved, giving a clear view of the unlaced back bodice, the thin ivory laces hanging loosely from their straps. The skin of her back was on display, the hook of her light pink bra peeking out from behind the stretched fabric.

"Maybe you're just having trouble doing it on your own," Caroline suggested, watching with a frown as both Sage and Katherine attempted to lace the bodice closed. Rebekah huffed and grunted as they pulled and tugged, her face turning a shade of red as she stared at herself in the mirror. "You know, maybe it was just an alteration error. I mean, it's an easy fix, you know…"

"It's not an easy fix," Rebekah snapped, pushing her sisters-in-law away and running a hand through her hair. "This is a complete disaster. This wasn't supposed to…"

Her words trailed off as she took a deep breath, a fresh stream of tears making their way down her cheeks as she tried to calm herself.

Next to her, Katherine managed a smirk, sharing a knowing glance with Sage as she patted Rebekah's shoulder. "Easy there, Bridezilla," she joked, laughing when the younger blonde jerked away from her touch. "Come on, so you're having a little wardrobe malfunction. That's what final fittings are for. Brides can be known to go a little overboard on the cake tests. Though…this seems to be a bit more top heavy." She leaned back, her hair falling over her shoulder as her head turned, dark eyes narrowing as she focused on the dress. "Did you get a boob job?"

"Katherine, for God's sakes," Sage groaned, glaring over at the younger woman and throwing her arms out at her sides.

"What? It's an honest question!"

Caroline tuned out their bickering, taking a few slow steps towards them as she focused on Rebekah. Her gaze was still fixated on her image in the mirror, her eyes wide and panicked as she stared. One hand was grasping the mirror's edge, her knuckles nearly white from their tight grip. Her other hand was wrapped around her waist, her fingers resting gently against her stomach, rising and falling with every one of her heavy breaths.

Caroline's eyes widened, her gaze focused on the protective way Rebekah's hand was resting against her stomach. She gasped quietly as the revelation dawned on her, and Rebekah's blue eyes met hers through the mirror, seeming to plead with her for help.

She sighed, masking her shock with a smile as she walked towards them, clapping her hands and turning towards the still bickering couple. "So why don't you guys go try on your dresses," she suggested cheerfully, shrugging when they both turned to look at her. "I'll stay with Rebekah and we'll get the consultant and the seamstress out here and fix this dilemma. So you two go and make your decisions and we'll just be…over here."

The two women hesitated briefly, watching as Rebekah wiped at her tear streaked cheeks, shuddering out a breath as she nodded for them to follow Caroline's instructions. They shrugged, turning and stepping off the platform, heading in the direction of the changing rooms.

"How you ever managed to snag Elijah," Sage was saying as they left, her red ponytail swaying as she shook her head.

Katherine laughed, tossing her head back and grinning at the ceiling. "I can tell you  
how I nabbed Elijah," she crooned, the taunting tone of her voice leading Caroline to believe the explanation was one of a variety not quite fit for public announcement.

She waited until they had disappeared around the corner before turning back to Rebekah, seeing the blonde staring at her through the mirror. She frowned, stepping towards her and placing a hand lightly against her shoulder.

"Rebekah," she asked softly. "Are you…are you pregnant?"

Rebekah sighed, her head dropping as she clenched her eyes shut. She nodded slowly, dropping her hand from the mirror and wrapping both arms around her waist tightly. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed silently, and she leaned into Caroline when the other girl wrapped an arm around her.

"I don't know how this happened," she whispered, lifting her head to look at Caroline. She was almost surprised to see the concern on her face, and couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort as her hand caressed a soothing pattern against her arm.

Caroline nodded, tightening her grip on Rebekah's shoulders as she gently steered her towards the chaise that rested against the wall just behind the mirror. They slowly sank into the cushions, Caroline carefully adjusting the lavish skirt before sitting. They sat for a moment, both silent apart from Rebekah's sniffling and soft sighs as she attempted to calm herself down.

"When did you find out," Caroline asked.

Rebekah shrugged, clasping her hands in her lap. "Last night," she said softly. "I'd felt off for a few days. I'd just pegged it as stress or something…but then at dinner Sage had made some comment about how lethargic she'd been with the triplets and everything else and I thought…" She sighed, shaking her head. "I took a test late last night after Stefan was asleep."

Caroline frowned. "Why? I mean, you guys have talked about having kids, haven't you?"

She and Stefan had talked about it, as they were growing up, once or twice. She could remember a drunken conversation the summer after their junior year, where Caroline announced she would never have children until she was at least thirty and Stefan said he wanted a big family to fill the empty rooms of his childhood home. "So no one needs to worry about being alone," he had slurred, shushing her loudly when she giggled and reached for the bottle of vodka they'd swiped from Giuseppe's secret stash.

Stefan had wanted to be a father—but then again, there was a lot that could change in six years.

"We have," Rebekah answered, sighing. "We agreed that we would wait. That we wouldn't even consider the idea of children until Stefan was more stable at his firm and we'd been married long enough to feel comfortable with it. We aren't even married yet, Caroline, what do I do?" she pleaded, turning to her. "The wedding is in two days, what am I supposed to do?"

She'd never seen Rebekah like this before. She was frantic and uncollected. Her eyes were shining with fear and panic and uncertainty, the last being an emotion she hadn't ever imagined the girl even experiencing until just recently. It was a stark contrast from the way she'd always perceived Rebekah before.

"You need to tell Stefan," she finally answered quietly, sliding closer to her on the chaise when she let out a defeated sob, her blonde hair grazing the skin of her shoulders as she shook her head. "Hey, no, listen. Listen to me. You guys said you would wait—I get that. But things like this happen, Rebekah. Okay? I know that's not the thing you probably want to hear, but it's the truth." She sighed, watching Rebekah nod and wipe at the tears on her cheeks again. "You need to tell Stefan. This is something that is about the both of you. You need him right now, to know about it. And trust me when I say Stefan Salvatore knows how to handle drama and panic."

Rebekah laughed at that, causing a smile to appear on Caroline's face, and she joined in, laughing softly. The other blonde sighed after a moment, turning her head to look at her with uncertainty. "Will he be happy?"

She smiled, nodding. "I think he'll be thrilled," she answered honestly, thinking back to that night in the Salvatore study. She'd always believed Stefan would be a wonderful father. He had unending patience and an empathy that she had always cherished in her best friend. No child of his would ever grow up unloved, no matter the circumstances or how things turned out in the end. "I think he'll be a little shocked at first, but once all of that wears off…Rebekah, he's going to be happy. Believe me, you don't have to worry about that at all."

Rebekah nodded, biting her lower lip worriedly as she sighed. "I'm terrified," she whispered, laughing softly under her breath.

"I know," Caroline replied, reaching over and brushing her hair off her shoulder. "But that's life, you know? I think most people live it absolutely terrified of what comes next. But you just have to take a deep breath and trust that it's all going to work out in the end."

Even as she said the words, she could feel a nagging feeling in the back of her mind. The hypocrisy of her statement wasn't wasted on her.

"I need to tell him," Rebekah conceded, nodding. "He's just always so put together and driven and knowing exactly…" She sighed, her hands tightening in the fabric of her gown. "I will tell him, very soon, but in the meantime will you…keep this between us?" She looked at her, smiling. "I don't know how much pillow talk you and Nik engage in, but I can assure you he'll go absolutely berserk if you tell him. And once one of us knows something, it's not long before the rest of us do, and I'd rather not have my brothers going after Stefan before I've actually told him why they're out for his very manhood in itself."

Caroline laughed, bobbing her head in a nod. "My lips are sealed, I promise. But would it really be that big of a deal? I mean, you guys are getting married."

Rebekah scoffed, rolling her eyes. "They're not pleased about that, either. Being the baby sister and what not. It's bloody ridiculous. And God, don't let Katherine know. You've seen how she is in just regular conversation—imagine that with a secret to keep." She laughed, watching Caroline wince and agree. "I'll tell them all. Just not before Stefan. That's going to be difficult enough."

Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair, attempting to tame the mess her frantic hands had made earlier. "Thank you, Caroline," she said softly, smiling at her. "I don't know that I would have made it through this without having a complete meltdown if you weren't here."

Caroline shrugged. "It's kind of my thing…diverting disaster and all. One of the perks of being a control freak," she said, smiling. She wrapped an arm around Rebekah's shoulders.

"Everything's going to be fine. You'll talk to Stef, and we will get the seamstress to just add another layer of fabric and you will be the most beautiful blushing bride, no one will know what hit them."

Rebekah sighed, glancing over at her. "Promise?"

"I promise," Caroline said, smiling.

The gown clad blonde nodded, returning her smile, and let out a sigh as she swiped at her cheeks, ridding her face of any leftover tears and mascara smudges. "My brother has no idea how lucky he is that you gave him the time of day, Caroline."

Caroline could feel her smile falter at the statement, and she strived to keep it in place. She wondered in the back of her mind if Rebekah knew of her brother's view on relationships. She didn't doubt she knew about the whole Tatia debacle. Klaus had said it led to a falling out between he and Elijah when they were younger, and she doubted that experience could have been missed or ignored. But did Rebekah know that Klaus had no plans to continue seeing her after the week was out? She wouldn't make a comment like that if she did, would she?

She was spared from making a reply by the reappearance of Sage and Katherine, both of whom were laughing quietly amongst themselves before coming to the side of the chaise, a look of relief on their faces when they saw the now relaxed bride-to-be.

"Glad to see the waterworks have stopped," Katherine said, moving to stand behind the chaise and lean against its back with her elbows, her dark curls cascading over her shoulder. "Have we come down from our Bridezilla attack?"

"You know, you're one to talk, Kat," Sage said, leaning a hip against the chaise arm Caroline sat closest to. "I seem to recall you going berserk on your college roommate over her nail polish choice fifteen minutes before the ceremony."

"They were orange," Katherine sneered, glaring at the offending memory.

Rebekah rolled her eyes, huffing under her breath at the apparent trip down memory lane, soon joining in on the sisterly squabble about how orange wasn't a proper color scheme to go with maroon and how Elijah would have had a fit if Katherine had proceeded to rip the nails from her friend's fingers mere minutes before wedding.

Caroline couldn't help but let out a small sigh of relief, though it was mixed with a sense of sadness she couldn't fight off.

Rebekah's words were still ringing true in her mind, and she excused herself to go in search of the seamstress. But as she weaved down the rows of taffeta and lace and silk, she couldn't stop her mind from wondering once more to Klaus and his words the previous night, wondering how she'd once again managed to give so much of herself and only receive heartbreak in return.

000000000

"The women of this establishment are far too fully clothed for a stag party."

Klaus sighed as he raised his head from his glass of bourbon, turning to his brother with a raised brow as Kol leaned against the bar beside him, a disgusted contemplative look on his face as he peered around The Grill.

It was an understatement, saying that Kol's enthusiasm for Stefan's bachelor party was stanched with the knowledge that it would be taking place at the Mystic Grill, and that the presence of strippers would surely be lacking.

"Mr. Salvatore clearly enjoys having his head attached to his body," Klaus mused, sloshing the amber liquid around in his glass. "You can't say Rebekah would be pleased, knowing there were would a horde of scantily clad dancers with their hands all over her favorite toy."

"More for me," Kol muttered, swigging back his glass of scotch and wincing as his throat burned with the sensation. "Typical Bekah. Ruining the fun for everyone else." He leaned back on his elbow, his eyes perusing the mass of strange faces around him, and an irritated sigh escaped his lips. "I'm bored."

"Go on, then," Klaus said, turning back to his drink. "Find yourself some entertainment."

"It's no fun to go alone, Nik!" Kol groaned, craning his neck towards his brother. "This town is utterly dreadful. Why anyone would choose to make a home here is beyond me. There's no excitement. No mystery. Certainly no pretty little things passing by to catch your attention and make you forget your boredom for a short time."

Klaus rolled his eyes, lifting his glass to his lips and letting the bitter liquid assault his senses as his brother raged on. He was no stranger to his brother's childish rants. And though he loathed to admit it, after three years of never seeing him, he had come to miss them just a bit.

"Of course you don't agree," Kol said, rolling his eyes. "Why would you, when you have the lovely Caroline to help you pass the days away? It is a shame you beat me to her, Nik."

Klaus found his grip tightening around his glass, setting it down on the bar top with a slight clank as he lifted a hand to his lips, catching a few stray drops of bourbon with his finger as he turned to glare at his brother. "Watch your tongue, Kol," he warned lowly.

"I'm merely making a casual observation, brother. Relax. I'm just saying that she appears to be the only beacon of light in this dull town. The only one who's actually the least bit intriguing." He shrugged, pursing his lips. "She's really not the type you usually go for, though. It's surprising."

Klaus was silent during Kol's pondering, his finger tracing the rim of his glass as he glanced over at him. It was true—Caroline was unlike any woman he'd met. She was fiery and smart. Kind and considerate, though there moments where her selfishness peeked through. Driven and refined. There were moments when he could so easily read her and know just what she was thinking, but then there moments when there were such strong walls around her, he wondered if he could ever breach them.

She was complicated. A complexity that pulled him in, no matter how hard he fought it.

"I must say, Nik. You've evolved in your time away. It's quite impressive. A bit of let down, I suppose, what with you being a bit of a bore now. But still." He smirked as he looked over at him, shrugging his shoulders and raising his glass to his lips. "I'm just saying. It may not be my scene, but a relationship suits you."

"Relationship," Klaus echoed, his brow furrowing.

Kol laughed. "What, you think what you and Caroline have is anything other than just that? The two of you are positively nauseating. Hand holding and hushed whispers and butterfly kisses. And let's not get started on all those muffled moans and noises that I sometimes question are actually human that can be heard by any passer by that walks past your bedroom door at night." He mocked a shudder, shaking his head and clicking his tongue. "You put our dear sister and her Mr. Salvatore to shame."

"I believe the drink is going to your head, brother," Klaus said, shifting on his seat. "Either that, or you have actually lost your mind like we've all speculated for years."

He lifted the drink to his lips, conscious of his brother's penetrating gaze boring down on him.

"You  
admit it, can you?" Kol realized, a scoff leaving his lips when his brother's gaze stayed riveted on his glass. He sighed, shaking his head as he dropped his gaze to the floor, a smirk playing on his lips and his brows raised in amusement. "Oh, Nik. Perhaps you're not as evolved as much as I thought."

Klaus raised his head, turning to look at his brother, but before he could open his mouth to reply, a small commotion behind him caught their attention, and they in time to see their youngest brother being dragged towards them by the back of his shirt, Finn's hand clenched tightly around the fabric as he shook his head. Elijah tailed behind them, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he watched them mirthfully.

"It wasn't as if I was actually going to bloody drink it, Finn," Henrik was muttering, twisting from side to side in an attempt to break free of his brother's grasp.

"What happened?" Klaus questioned.

Finn sighed, gripping Henrik by the shoulders and forcing him onto the barstool next to Klaus, shaking his head when the teenager huffed and grumbled under his breath. "It appears our young brother here used his boyish charm to distract a rather naïve bartender long enough to sneak away a decanter of quite expensive whiskey."

Klaus shook his head, laughing into his drink as he reached over and patted his youngest sibling on the shoulder, grinning when he was met with an irritated glare. Next to them, Kol was snickering, lifting his glass to Henrik in a toast.

"Well done, young Padwan," he laughed. "Though, as a tip, next time try for something that wouldn't land the poor girl in jail for pedophilia. You innocent cad, you."

"Don't encourage him," Elijah said, sliding onto a stool and resting his hands against the counter.

Kol smirked. "Mother will box your ears for this, Henry."

Henrik shrugged, crossing his gangly arms across his chest as he swiveled on his stool, thick brows arching on his forehead as he cast a glance at his brothers. "She'll box all of yours first for not keeping a better eye on me," he sang smugly, grinning at the sight of distress on each of their faces.

"We let you come against our better judgment," Finn said, waving down the bartender with a raised hand. "Perhaps you should keep that in mind, and not make us come to regret our decision to include you in the festivities."

Henrik shrugged, his gesture filled with every bit of his teenage defiance, but settled into his seat quietly. The boy may like to push his limits with his brothers, but he respected them enough to do what he was told. He slumped over the bar, resting his face in the palm of his hand, and let his eyes travel across the crowded room.

"Well," Kol said, taking a breath. "Now that that's resolved, can we get back to our conversation?"

"No," Klaus said through gritted teeth, glaring down into his drink even as his brothers' eyes turned towards them.

"What conversation?" Henrik asked.

"The one where our dear brother is in complete and utter denial of the fact that he actually cares for Miss Caroline Forbes." Kol shrugged when Klaus sent him an irritated glare. "You need to face it, Nik. You are one smitten kitten, as I've mentioned once before. And you can deny it all you want out loud, but your eyes speak for themselves. And why wouldn't they? Caroline's quite the stunning little creature."

"Didn't I warn you once already to watch your tongue?" Klaus growled.

"And that," Kol laughed, shaking his head. "My dear brothers, certainly sounds like a man who feels absolutely nothing towards the woman, don't you agree? Hurling threats—and at your own brother, no less—for a girl you claim is nothing more than a distraction is a bit of a contradiction, Nik. I believe your true feelings may be peeking through."

Henrik snorted from his seat, his fingers pulling at a loose thread on the sleeve of his shirt. "I'd started to wonder if you were gay, to be honest." He jumped when Finn's hand smacked the back of his head, and he frowned. "What? I did. Not meaning I wouldn't be okay with it, Nik," he said, turning towards his brother who was staring at him with an expression that was equally amused and offended. "You'd still be my brother, through and through. I'm just saying you were always alone, you know, never had a girl or brought one around. And I do like Caroline. She's a bit off her rocker in brief moments, but for the most part she fits in pretty well."

"She is quite exceptional," Elijah chimed in, smiling slightly when Klaus let out a resigned sigh. "We don't mean to be overbearing, Niklaus, but you can't help but notice the change when you're around her. We've been in town for just a short time, but I've managed to see a side of you I haven't seen in years. And clearly, she has quite a thick skin. She managed to survive an entire afternoon with my wife, and lived to tell the tale. The fact that Katherine herself, who is no stranger to tearing someone down—and quite joyfully, might I add—sang her praises for the young Miss Forbes speaks volumes in itself. Not to mention Mother's apparent liking to the girl."

Klaus shook his head, feeling a nerve in his jaw tick as he clenched his teeth in irritation, and leaned further into the counter, resting his elbows on the a bar top as his gaze slid to the last remaining brother who'd yet to cast his opinion on the matter.

Finn merely shrugged. "Sage approves. Anyone who's able to surpass her bar of approval is certainly worth considering."

"He's far from considering," Kol declared, pointing towards a sulking Klaus with his glass. "He's passed the point of consideration, and is now happily lounging about in the land of denial. Come now, Nik. Do you really think Caroline's going to let you drag her along?"

All this talk was foolish, Klaus thought, glaring down into his drink as his brothers continued to yammer on around him. This whole conversation was completely ridiculous to him.

Yes, any fool could see that he cared for Caroline. Yes, in the past few weeks, he'd become quite fond of her and all of her quirks. She could make him smile and laugh, a feat that was not to go unnoticed, as it happened very rarely in the last few years. She could make him forget every bad memory and every worry he had with just a soft word and caress of her lips.

She inspired him. She certainly challenged him. She made his days more enjoyable.

But that didn't mean he loved her.

Love was a weakness. Love was a foolish notion that was told in fairy tales and cheesy movies. It didn't exist in his world. He didn't love. Not in the way his brothers were insinuating with their opinions and praises of Caroline.

Loving Caroline would bring them nothing but trouble and misery. She would be miserable, if he loved her. Hadn't she said as much, weeks ago after their first night together? How he refused to understand anyone. How he never connected.

And yet he'd connected with her. With Caroline. Sometimes he felt that she knew every inch of him, inside and out.

Which is why he wouldn't let himself even entertain the idea that he loved Caroline.

His darkness would destroy her light.

He cleared his throat, straightening in his seat as he motioned the bartender to refill his glass. His lips quirked up into his trademark smirk, a carefree shrug to his shoulders. "Think what you will," he said, raising the glass to his lips. "But I would keep those ludicrous assumptions to yourselves. If our dear sister catches wind that you lot are focusing on anything other than her at this time, not even God himself could save you."

"And we're back to deflecting," Kol sighed, shaking his head and clicking his tongue in disapproval. "Fine, fine. Have it your way, Nik. But know that sooner or later, you'll come to your senses and admit it. And will happily be loitering in the doorway, just waiting for the perfect moment to interrupt and say 'I told you so.'" He smirked then, his eyes catching sight of the person making their way through the small crowd and towards them. "Speaking of I told you so's, here comes one now."

"How is Stefan an 'I told you so'?" Elijah asked, a deep crease forming on his forehead as he frowned.

"Because I told you lot months ago that Rebekah would ruin her life for that one. And you all were convinced that, no, not  
. She wouldn't even dream of doing something as mad as packing up and moving across the bloody globe for some fop with funny hair. And now here we stand, dear brothers, so yes. Behold the ultimate I told you so, and perhaps next time you'll learn to listen to Kol when he speaks."

"Not if he keeps speaking in third person," Henrik muttered under his breath, garnering a soft chuckle from Elijah, who quickly tried to mask it with a cough when their future brother-in-law stepped towards the bar, raising his eyebrows as he nodded in greeting.

"You do realize stag parties are the last hurrah?" Kol asked, forgoing any pleasantries and resting his elbows on the bar behind him. "A chance to get it all out of your system before you're tied down forever?"

Stefan frowned, his face etched with confusion. His eyes were hazy, their dark brown tint taking on a murky hue as he switched his gaze to the other Mikaelsons. A nearly empty glass of scotch was clenched loosely in his hand, but despite his somewhat inebriated state, the young Salvatore was steady on his feet as he took another step towards them.

"Kol's a bit miffed about the apparent lack of female entertainment in attendance," Elijah said, his hands smoothing a nonexistent crease in his perfectly tailored suit.

A dark chuckle escaped Stefan, and he shrugged as he leaned forward, placing his glass in front of the bartender and silently signaling for a refill. "You're welcome to find some," he told Kol. "But then you'd be risking the wrath of not only Rebekah but Caroline, who has made it her mission to make these next few days as stress free as possible for your sister. And believe it or not, I'm actually a bit more of afraid of Care than Rebekah."

"And once again, Caroline meanders her way into conversation," Kol said, his voice mocking, smirking towards his brother. "Quite odd, isn't it, Nik? It's almost like she's always there. Like an everyday occurrence. Something stable."

Stefan frowned again, watching Klaus' expression darken and Kol's boyish smirk widen, and he turned to Elijah when the eldest brother cleared his throat.

"It would appear that Kol is having quite a time harassing Niklaus about his relationship with Caroline. A subject that our brother appears to wish to keep to himself."

A beat of silence passed, and then Stefan nodded, leaning his forearms against the edge of the bar top as he cocked his jaw. He hummed low in his throat, fingers tapping a rhythm against the polished wood. His gaze slid to the brother in question, who's blue eyes were staring back at his, a hint of defiance and challenge in them, and his mind wondered back to that moment weeks ago, when they'd stood toe to toe. All he'd been able to think then was that he wouldn't let Caroline get hurt this time. He wouldn't let this become a Damon repeat.

He could see the challenge in Klaus' eyes, daring him to speak a word about Caroline. While he may dodge and avoid his brothers' questioning, Stefan knew he didn't have that luxury with him. He knew it was brewing between them, the dispute about Caroline. Stefan only wanted the best for her, and while he didn't doubt that Klaus felt something for his friend, he could clearly in that moment that it was an emotion that he was planning to keep to himself. For a reason he couldn't fathom.

"Ooooh," Kol crooned, crossing his foot over his ankle as he shifted his stance, a giddy grin on his face. "I'm sensing some underlying tension. You always did have trouble making friends in new places, Nik. Though what you could have done to provoke such a cold shoulder from Mr. Salvatore…"

They were spared a reply, as a set of stumbling footsteps chose that moment to make their way towards the crowded bar, a slurred chuckle drawing everyone's attention, and both Klaus and Stefan could feel their spines straighten when their eyes caught sight of Damon leaning against the railing behind them.

"Well, if it isn't my baby brother," he said, a half smirk on his face as his ice blue eyes took in the scene before him. "The man of the hour."

Stefan sighed, turning to face his brother fully. He didn't miss the near empty bottle of whiskey that dangled from his fingertips, no doubt having been swiped from behind the bar when no one was looking. The bartenders around town knew when it was time to cut Damon off, but his brother wasn't so easily thwarted.

He didn't need to look around him to know that the eyes of the Mikaelson brothers were curiously shifting between him and Damon. It occurred to him then that they hadn't yet crossed paths. Damon had made himself scarce over the last day. Though from his disheveled appearance and glossy eyes, he doubted his brother had made much of a trek between his car and the Grill.

"You know, there have been a lot of speeches tonight," Damon continued, raising the bottle to his lips with meeting his brother's gaze with a wiggle of his eye brows. "Great guy. Hard worker. Lucky to land such a great gal as Sexy Bex. Wonderful husband in the making. I mean, all true, true statements, Stef, not gonna lie." He pushed away from the railing, shrugging his shoulders and letting his arms swing out at his side. "You guys," he said, gesturing towards the inquisitive faces that were taking him in. "You guys are damn lucky to have my brother joining your ranks. Let me tell you. He will do ANYTHING for you."

"Damon," Stefan said, a quiet warning to his voice, and next to him he could sense Klaus turning in his seat, drink forgotten on the counter top as his hard gaze fixed on Damon.

"No, no, Stefan," Damon laughed, his dark bangs falling into his eyes as he shook his head. "They should know. Really. I mean, it's true. You are a terrific guy. Always standing up for people you care about. No matter what terrible, horrible shit they do. I mean…they could kill someone. And you just…stand there. By their side. Supporting them. Even when a whole fucking town is mourning."

He scoffed, taking one last swig of the bottle in his hand before carelessly tossing it to the side, the shattering sound of glass skittering across the floor drawing a shocked silence from the room.

"Your new family should know, brother. Just how much of a stand up guy you are. Just how much you've supported your little blonde BFF even after she royally screwed everyone and everything in this town." He smirked when he saw the confusion cross their faces, and the alcohol raging through his system sent his adrenaline pumping, not giving him a second to even consider all the stares he could feel boring into from the riveted crowd. "They should know all about how the little bitch they were all just praising ruined the lives of everyone in this town because of her stupid decisions."

"I believe I warned you once, Mr. Salvatore," Klaus reminded, his voice low as his hands clenched into fists against his knees. "Take care how you speak of her."

Damon snorted, rolling his eyes as he turned his attention to him. "Oh,what? Just because you guys are screwing around now, it excuses everything? She bats her little blue eyes and gives those hips a little wiggle and you're blinded, right? BTW, you can totally thank me for whatever tricks she's been showing you between those sheets, my friend, because I gotta tell ya," he sang, spreading his arms out at his side. "She wasn't that great to begin with."

In a flash, Klaus was off his stool with a snarl, seeming to almost blur towards the staggering man and grabbing him by his shirt collar before anyone could stop him. They stumbled back a step, Damon's back slamming into the railing with a creak, and he felt the dark haired man's hands push against his chest. He heard his name being yelled behind him, and then strong hands gripping his arms and shoulders and pulling him off and away, Elijah moving to stand between him and Damon, hands braced against his shoulders as he pushed him back, a warning in his eyes.

Over his brother's shoulder, he could see Stefan grabbing ahold of Damon's shirt. "Damon, knock it off!"

Damon's face was a mask of rage as his brother pulled him away, his eyes flashing. "Why does she get a happy ending?" he yelled. "Elena's dead. She's fucking dead, and SHE gets to just go on living like nothing happened."

Stefan shook his head, shoving his brother down the steps and towards the side exit, pushing their way through the crowd as it seemed to part for them, avoiding the sympathetic gazes of his coworkers and childhood friends.

Klaus watched as they disappeared through the fire exit, and he grunted as he shook off Elijah's grip. He lifted his hand to his head, running it down his face as he sighed. Every nerve in his body was alight with rage, his mind flashing to pictures of Damon and Caroline, and the disdainful way the Salvatore brother spoke of and to her.

Caroline's pained face flashed through his mind then, and he tightened his jaw as he shoved past and brother and headed towards the path the two Salvatores had taken. He stopped when he felt Elijah's hand grab his arm, and he glared over his shoulder.

"Keep your head," his brother warned, pulling back when Klaus jerked out of his hold. He sighed, watching him storm his way through the crowd, and his hands slipped into the pockets of his pants as he turned back towards his family.

Kol clicked his tongue, shrugging. "Perhaps this town isn't as much a bore as I thought."

000000000

Caroline was perched on the edge of the bed when Klaus made his way into the room late that night, and she smiled up at him, shuffling the various papers and to-do lists to the side when he slowly made his way towards her.

"Hey," she greeted, clasping her hands in her lap as she shifted her leg underneath her. Her heart fluttered in her chest at the sight of him, and she cursed silently at the reaction his very appearance took on her. "How was stag night? Hopefully Alaric heeded my warning and kept it low key. The last thing anyone needs right now is Stefan landing in hot water with Rebekah. Especially after the meltdown she had this afternoon."

He was silent as she spoke, his steps slowing until he stopped just in front of her, his hands hanging limply at his sides as he stared at her, a strange glint in his eyes.

She frowned, her smile faltering slightly as she met his gaze. "She's fine, though. You know, wedding jitters and all that. I talked her down though, and she is A-okay. Well…as okay as your sister was to begin with," she laughed.

Still Klaus didn't say a word, his seeming to tighten under her gaze, and she frowned, sliding her feet to the ground. "Klaus, what's wrong?"

He stared at her, and she scoffed softly, rising to her feet and reaching out, her hands barely grazing the fabric against his shirt. "Hey. Seriously. What's wrong."

His eyes flitted to hers, and she was nearly taken aback with near hostility she saw in them. There was accusation in his eyes; anger and, if she wasn't mistaken, pain. "Klaus…"

"What happened the night of the accident, Caroline?" he asked, his voice harsh even in its soft tone.

Caroline faltered, her brow furrowing, and her hands dropped from his chest. "What?"

He continued to stare, his intense eyes unnerving her.

She knew then, as he glared at her. She could feel her stomach drop as her hands began to shake. Her heart quickened in her chest, and she knew her breathing had changed when his eyes shifted, and she somehow knew that he knew.

"Klaus…"

He took a step towards her, lowering his head to stare directly into her eyes, and she had to clench her hands into fists at her side to keep them from shaking.

"Don't lie to me, love," he warned, his voice low and sending a shiver down her spine. His gaze bore into hers, and she knew that he could see the fear in her eyes. The uncertainty. He could see her every wall starting to crumble around her with the realization that he knew.

He knew. And he was demanding answers.

"Tell me."

**000000000**

**I KNOW! Another cliffhanger!**

**What could Klaus be insinuating? What happened after he went after Stefan and Damon at the Grill? What, what what?**

**As always let me know what you all think. And for everyone out there wondering why I'm painting Damon in such a bad light, keep in mind that he's sick and hurt and in mourning. People tend to say and do things that hurt other people in the midst of suffering. It's nothing against Damon—though he's not my favorite character—and I promise things will change in the last few chapters.**

**Stalk me on Tumblr, if you so wish: klarolineepiclove.**

**Until next time, darlings!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Rescue Me**

**A.N. So remember when I said this update would happen super quick, because I had most of it written already? Yeah, that didn't happen. I'm sorry, but real life family stuff kind of got in the way, and I really didn't have time to finish this chapter as soon as I wanted. **

**So hopefully, no one hates me for being a complete tease, and hopefully no one hates me after this chapter, either. I do hope to have the next installment up before the weekend, but I can't make any promises. I do promise to not wait as long to update again, and after tomorrow things should calm down enough to do so. So yeah.**

**This chapter is un-Betaed, because I wanted to get it out, so please excuse any mistakes. Catch you guys at the bottom, and enjoy!**

**00000000000000**

_The first thing she was aware of was the throbbing in her head. It was a sharp stab of pain, making her see stars behind her closed eyes. Loud, obnoxious rap music was blaring around her, only seeming to enhance her headache. _

_Caroline groaned, her head lolling slowly against the headrest of her seat, her eyes clenching shut tighter as she fought to remember the events of the last few hours._

_She remember the graduation ceremony. Lunch with her mom and Stefan before Liz had been called off to duty. Heading to the party at the Falls. Stefan going off to help Bonnie, and Tyler coming up behind her, enticing her to leave with him and finish out the night elsewhere…_

_Tyler._

_She gasped, her eyes snapping open as she shot up, a sharp cry leaving her lips when the pain in her head escalated. She hissed, sitting back as she cautiously raised a hand to her throbbing head. Her skin felt sticky and wet, and she pulled her hand away in a panic, eyes widening when her she saw her fingers stained with blood._

_Her mind was hazy with pain and alcohol, and she wracked her brain for answers. She remembered getting the car with Tyler. She remembered telling him that she didn't think she could drive home. She'd had far too much to drink, and could barely walk in a straight line. Tyler had laughed, she remembered, calling her a lightweight and swiping the keys from her fumbling fingers, swallowing her protests with his lips as he kissed her sloppily. She remembered his carefree, cocky smile as he he'd helped her into the car, telling her they'd be back at his house in no time. _

_She whipped her head to the side, wincing when stars seemed to dance behind her eyes, and panic clawed at her chest when she saw the driver's seat empty, the door thrown open. _

"_Tyler?" she cried out, lifting her hand to her head again as she felt the prick of tears behind her eyes. She fumbled with the seatbelt that strapped her in, a sudden pain in her shoulder making her wince. "Oh, God…Tyler?" _

_The bright beams from the headlights cast shadows across the road in front of them, and she squinted through the windshield as her blurry vision tried to focus on the scenery around her. She shook her head, her free hand sliding around the handle of the door as she shouldered it open, slowly swinging her feet out onto the pavement. _

_She stood shakily, vision swimming as she swayed on her feet. They were on the Wickery Bridge, she realized. She could see the sign hanging just up the road, creaking slightly as it swayed in the wind. Bracing a hand against the doorframe, she shuffled her way to the front of the car, a panicked sob escaping her lips when her eyes landed on the crushed metal of the hood. _

"_Tyler?" she cried, turning on her heel as her breathing quickened, coming in panicked, harsh pants. "Tyler!"_

"_Care."_

_Caroline turned at the sound of his voice, and she saw him just across the street, and she couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped her. There was a large gash across the side of his cheek, rivets of blood trailing down the side of his neck and pooling into a darkened stain across his T-shirt. His knuckles were bloody, as if his hand had collided with the fractured windshield whenever they crashed, and his normally confident swagger was hindered by a slightly limp as he moved towards her slowly. _

_She met him halfway, her arms wrapping themselves around his torso tightly, pulling him to her as she sobbed against his chest. "Oh my God," she sobbed, pulling back to stare up into his face. "Tyler, what happened? What…did we crash, I mean. Are you okay? What happened?"_

_She knew she was rambling, her mind fuzzy and clouded. Tyler was staring down at her, his brown eyes wide in fear and panic, his arms hanging limply at his sides as he slowly shook his head. She stepped back, tilting her head up to meet his gaze, fighting against the wave of vertigo that hit her as she did. "Tyler?"_

_Tyler blinked, his body seeming to unfreeze from its motionless position, and he raised his hands, his fingers tugging at his hair as he cupped the back of his head. "They came out of nowhere," he said, shaking his head. "I closed my eyes for a second, and they were just there. They came out of nowhere."_

_Caroline frowned. "What?"_

_He only stared at her, his eyes vacant, before he shifted on his feet, turning towards the other side of the road behind him. _

_Caroline's gaze followed his, and she gasped when she saw the gaping hole in the railing, the metal bent at odd angles as if something had crashed brutally through it. The pavement was marred with dark tread marks, circling and circling before disappearing over the edge. She looked back at Tyler, eyes widening, and then she was striding towards the railing, her arms crossed over her stomach as it twisted and churned, and she somehow she had a feeling of what she'd see once she peered over the edge. _

_She still wasn't prepared, though, when she saw the submerged car in the water below. She wasn't prepared to see the smashed in rear window, or to recognize the license plate that gleamed up at her from the light of the street lamp. She wasn't prepared to see the familiar bumper sticker that she'd seen everyday for the last four years in the parking lot of her high school—"My kids are honor roll students at Mystic Falls High."_

"_Elena," she whispered, her heart nearly stopping in her chest. "Oh, my God. Elena!" She stepped forward, her hands gripping onto the crippled metal as she leaned over the edge, her eyes frantically searching the scene below for any movement. "Elena!"_

_She gasped when a strong arm wrapped itself around her waist, jerking her backwards. She twisted in Tyler's grip, her hands bracing themselves against his chest as she pushed him away. "Tyler, stop, we have to get down there! That's Dr. Gilbert's car; Elena's down there, Tyler, we have do something." She tried to step out of his grasp, but his hands only lifted to grip onto her upper arms, his fingers digging into her skin with an almost bruising force. "Tyler, let go, we have do something! We have to help them, we have to get them out. Seriously, Tyler, LET GO!"_

"_Caroline," Tyler yelled, leaning his face down until they were barely an inch apart, his frenzied eyes searching her face as his breath came out in short pants. "There is nothing we can do."_

_Caroline scoffed, twisting her arms in an attempt to escape his grasp. "Tyler—"_

_Her head snapped back when he shook her suddenly, his grip crushing against her arms, and she met his eyes with a fear, noticing for the first time the desperate look that was on his face. His eyes were boring into her own, panic and fear etched into them, and she flinched when his grip tightened briefly._

_Catching the flicker of pain across her face, he loosened his grip, lifting one hand to cup the side of her face. "They're gone, Care," he said, his voice cracking. "There is NOTHING we can do."_

_She shook her head, feeling the trail of tears on her face as they fell down the curve of her cheek, and she pushed Tyler's grip away. "No, we have to call 911. We have to try to get down there—swim or something, I don't know, but we can't just leave them, Tyler. We have to call someone. Someone needs to get to them, they need to see if they're okay." She stepped towards the hole in the rails again, leaning down as she felt the sobs welling in her throat. The water below was motionless, the dim streetlamps and the moonlight doing little to reveal anything. There was no movement, no sound. There was nothing but a crushed car and the rippling of water. "Elena! Elena, please!"_

"_Caroline—"_

_"Call 911," she said, turning to face him. "Call 911, and tell them that we need an ambulance or a crane or something." Tyler merely stood rooted in his spot. "Tyler!"_

"_I can't, Caroline," he said softly, his head shaking from side to side as his eyes fixated on something in the distance. He sighed, dragging his hands down his face before lifting his eyes to hers, seeing her confused frown and panicked face. "I'll lose everything."_

"_Lose everything? Tyler, Elena is down there!"_

"_She's dead, Caroline!" he screamed._

_Caroline froze, the harsh tone of his voice and the rage written across his face catching her off-guard. He said it with so much conviction. She's dead. She's gone. There was nothing they could do. He'd decided already, and she could feel that cold pit in her stomach get heavier. Her breath suddenly started coming in fast, short pants, her heart racing in her chest. Elena was dead. Elena was dead. _

_Elena was dead._

"_Oh, my God," she sobbed, cradling her head in her hands as she paced. "Oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God."_

"_Caroline…" Tyler said, shaking his head. _

"_We have to call someone, Ty," she sobbed, stopping in her tracks to look at him. "We have to let someone know…we can't just…leave them."_

"_I know," he said softly. "I know. But I can't go down for this, Caroline. I can't. I've got the scholarship, and football, and there's just too much to lose."_

_Caroline stared at him, disbelief written on her face. "Tyler, no we have to. It was an accident."_

"_We were drunk."_

"_But it was still an accident! We can't just…drive off and leave it. That just makes it worse, I mean, they find those people, Tyler. They find them and it will go down so much worse. Maybe our moms can help, you know, they can let everyone know that it was just a bad, horrible, tragic accident and—."_

_Tyler approached her, shaking his head at her every word. He reached out, grasping her shoulders in his hands and giving her a hard shake, though not nearly as rough as he had previously done. He was trying to get her listen this time. He lifted his hand, cradling her cheek, and waiting until her red rimmed eyes focused on his. "I can't go down for this, Caroline," he said softly, lowering his head until their foreheads were touching. Her eyes were searching his, and he sighed, caressing her damp cheek with his thumb. "__**I **__can't go down for this."_

_Her heart stopped in her chest. His eyes were burning into her, full of fear and apprehension. They were searching her own, desperately searching for something she wasn't sure she had in her. His words were ringing in her mind. _

"_Wh…" she started softly, the words catching in her throat._

"_Caroline," he began, his dark eyes searching her own. "Do you love me?"_

_She closed her eyes, her own hand reaching to wrap around his wrist, and she could feel his pulse thundering under her thumb. _

_In the span of a second, Caroline could feel her whole world crumble around her._

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"Tell me, Caroline."

Blue eyes were piercing into her own, their vivid orbs searching her own for some kind of answer or vindication to his inquiry. She was frozen, motionless, as his gaze stayed riveted on her. Anger and betrayal and accusation swirled in their deep blue depths.

Caroline could hear her heartbeat raging in her ears. Her palms were sweating, her hands trembling as she stared at him. She felt like she was drowning; as if every ounce of breath in her body had been brutally ripped away, leaving her gasping. Every inch of her was telling her to bolt. To deny everything. To push it under the rug.

But the intensity of his gaze; the way his blue eyes seem to be cutting away every wall and hindrance she'd erected over the years to keep this from happening all, only told her that it wasn't an option. Somehow he'd caught on. Somehow he'd realized that her elaborate lies and her sordid tale was lacking something.

She could feel his gaze evaluating her every move. She knew he was looking for any tell. He was looking for any way to catch her in her brutal lie.

"What do you mean?" she asked softly, wrapping her hands into the fabric of her sleep shorts to keep them steady. She nearly flinched when his eyes flashed at her words, and he took a step towards her, his jaw clenched tight.

"Don't lie to me, love," he said lowly, pointing at her with an accusatory finger before letting his hand fall to his side once more. He could see the sheer panic in her gaze. She was standing as if she were prepared to bolt—arms tight against her sides, shifting uneasily on her feet, her eyes darting around the room, attempting to focus on anything and everything but him.

He couldn't help the anger he felt in his entire being. It had been seething since he'd left the Grill. Festering throughout his entire drive home. He'd been under the impression that he and Caroline were honest with each other. He hadn't lied to her once since they became involved. He'd dodged a few questions, he would admit that, but when it came down to it he was honest with her. Telling her about Mikael, about Tatia. Telling her things about his life that he hated revealing. He was honest with her. And he had assumed she was as well. Telling him the tragic story about how she became the notorious outcast of Mystic Falls. The horrific accident that, beyond her control, had nearly destroyed her life.

And here it had all been a lie, he believed.

No. He was sure of it.

"What happened the night of the accident, Caroline?" he asked again, his gaze steadfast as it bore into her own.

Caroline sighed, trying to calm her racing heart. "I already told you."

"Did you?" he countered, his head tilting to the side as he raised an inquisitive brow. "I do recall a sad tale, about a young teenager who made a mistake and was forced to live with the consequences. However, it's come to my attention that this may not be the whole truth concerning the ordeal, Caroline, so I'll ask again." He took another step towards her until they were less than a foot apart, her head tilting back slightly to accommodate the sudden change. "What. Happened."

Caroline stared at him, feeling the all too familiar prick of tears behind her eyes, and she gritted her teeth as she regarded him. "Did Stefan say something to you?" she asked, realizing that the only other person who could have possibly let something slip was her best friend. She hated thinking that Stefan—who had been her confidante since they were children; who had harbored her secret right along side her all these years, despite his own reservations—would just out her, and to a man he had voiced a dislike of numerous times over the last few weeks. But nothing else made sense…

"Stefan didn't say a word to me," Klaus said. "He happened to break up a bit of scuffle that would have been quite unpleasant for a very inebriated Damon, after he said a few less than savory words about you." Her eyes flicked up to his as he spoke, and he held her gaze. "He drug him outside, and I followed just in time to hear the tail end of their conversation. Your friend Stefan was attempting to explain to his brother that he wouldn't be behaving in the manner he was if he truly knew what had happened that night." He watched her face falter, a flash of emotion passing in her eyes as he spoke. He continued, gaging her for any other outward show, but that brief moment was the only confirmation he needed. "That he didn't understand. That some things aren't as clear as they appear to be. He didn't elaborate, though from Damon's state at that moment, I doubt it would have stuck at all in his mind. But he was quite adamant. Desperate to get the point across."

He watched as Caroline's shoulder slumped, her eyes sliding closed as she let out a tired sigh, her head shaking from side to side slowly.

"He wouldn't tell me, after Damon stumbled away. He would barely look me in the eye, when I asked him what he was referring to. Said it wasn't his to tell. He's a bit of Fort Knox, Mr. Salvatore," he added with a smirk. It was true, no matter how much pestering and threats and anything else he had thrown at Stefan, the young man's lips had been sealed. He refused to comment at all, about the conversation he'd walked in on, merely choosing to shake his head and shrug it off. But he'd seen the look in the young Salvatore's eyes. The conflict that was clearly written across his face, and that was the moment he realized.

Stefan Salvatore was indeed a fierce friend. Carrying along with a lie for half a decade.

All for Caroline.

Caroline, who was standing in front of him know, resignation painted across her weary face. She could feel her restraint slipping. She could feel every wall she'd built over the years. Every fib she'd told to cover their tracks, every small town headline that blazoned a dark mark across her name. Every critical stare, every hushed whisper, every accusation that had been aimed at her. She felt it all start to slip away, and even as she clung to it, she realized with sinking clarity that there was relief mixed in with her panic as well.

She wanted to tell Klaus the truth.

She wanted him to know the dark secret she'd really been carrying all these years. She wanted him to know how heartbroken she was when Tyler had turned his back and disappeared, even after she had given up everything for him.

She wanted him to know that she wasn't the monster this town had painted her to be.

The words were lodged in her throat, though, her tongue nearly choking on them when she opened her mouth to answer him. Nothing but silence left her lips, and she could do nothing more than stare at him, watching his eyes—the eyes that had stared at her in such admiration these past few weeks—narrow in return, his long legs taking a step further towards her.

"I've been able to draw my own conclusions," he said. "I thought back to the way you described yourself to me. Back then. You were naïve. Enthusiastic. Eager to please. By your own admission, you needed to 'fix' things." He watched her gaze tick nervously, and he wanted nothing more than to reach out and grasp her shoulders, shake some sense into her and demand she come clean. He wanted her to explain, exactly, who she could sacrifice her whole life for someone who clearly didn't care. How she could go on through the years with that etched into her, watching as the real culprit of that horrible night lived his every dream.

He wanted to know why she valued herself so little, that she could so willingly give up her own.

"I ran through the ideas in my head. Who you could possibly care enough about, to take the fall for something so heinous. Knowing what the potential outcome could be, and still going through with it. Stefan, of course, was my first choice. Your unbreakable bond, the way he's always just a bit too eager to step up to your defense. I concluded, of course, that if he were the one you were covering for, I highly doubt you'd be able to look him in eye, let alone be the best man at his wedding." He shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. "Damon was my next guess, but reminders of the way you constantly defended him quickly thwarted that. Not to mention Stefan's plea with him, which wouldn't even be needed if he truly knew exactly what had happened. The two of you also interacted more than I imagine you would with someone you were covering for, which lead me to recall your brief interlude with the football player. Tyler."

At the mention of the name, he saw her visibly flinch. He had to grit his teeth, his fingernails nearly digging into the skin of his palms. He had to hold himself back, if only to keep himself from racing out the door, tracking down the Lockwood boy, and making him feel every ounce of pain he could only imagine Caroline had been living with for the past five years.

"He was the love of your life, I'd imagine," he continued, an almost mocking smile on his face. "In all your adolescent glory, you loved him. You were willing to do anything for him."

She was glaring at him now, that spark he'd seen in her that first night in town reigniting behind her eyes. He'd hit a nerve, he realized, watching her jaw tighten. She sighed quietly, shaking her head. "You don't understand," she said softly, but firmly, her defenses at the ready.

"Understand what, Caroline?" he demanded. "Understand that you went along with some idiotic plan to get your football star boyfriend off the hook for something he did?"

"No, that's not…" She shook her head, raising her hands to the sides of her face and sighing. "That's not all that happened, you don't understand."

"Then explain it to me," he said, eyes flashing. "Explain to me, what else happened, Caroline. Explain to me why you lied."

Caroline huffed. "I didn't lie," she defended, gritting her teeth when she saw the look of disbelief on his face. "I didn't. I haven't been—I was just as much to blame for this whole thing, Klaus. Okay, we were both drunk and we both willingly got into that car. It wasn't just Tyler—."

"So you came up with the idea then?" Klaus interrupted, arching an eyebrow. "You stood there that night and thought, 'I'll take total responsibility for this. I'll let my name be dragged through the mud—be labeled such torturous things by a town I know and love—and I won't think a thing about it.'"

"No, but-,"

"But what, Caroline?" he said, his voice rising as he took an angry step towards her until they were nearly flush against each other.

She stumbled back a step, surprised, and the backs of her legs bumped into the bed frame behind her. She wobbled on her feet, her hands reaching out behind her to steady herself against the mattress.

"What happened to being honest, Caroline? To knowing each other? You fed me your little sob story so I'd tell you mine, and tell I did, didn't I?" He laughed, shaking his head. "I gave you every juicy detail you wanted, and you just sat back and soaked it all in. Never once revealing a true thing about yourself to me."

"That's not true," she said quietly.

"Really? Well, then, tell me now, love. Prove me wrong. Tell me why you did it. Tell me why—,"

She shook her head, her vision blurring with the sting of tears as she looked up at him. "You wouldn't understand-,"

"Tell me why you so willingly gave up everything for some—,"

"Because he was everything to me!" Caroline screamed, emphasizing her statement with a rough push against his chest. He barely moved an inch, but his face reflected his surprise at her outburst. His lips parted as he took a step back, watching cautiously as she stared him down, years of anger and hurt and rejection pouring out of her eyes in waves, it seemed. "Because I loved him, and he asked me for help. Because in my stupid, shallow mind, I believed that we were meant to be together, and even something as horrible as what happened wasn't going to stop it. Because he was everything I thought I wanted, and I would have done anything for him, if it meant that he loved me too." She could feel the tracks of tears that were freely flowing down her face then, and she suddenly hated him. She hated him for making her admit it, after all these years, just how foolish of a girl she'd been. She hated that he was seeing her crumble before him, after she'd worked so hard to remain strong and steadfast.

She hated him for making her see what a giant mistake she'd made, all in the name of a love that clearly hadn't really existed.

Klaus stood there, the sight of her tears sending an unfamiliar stab of regret through him. It was almost as strong as the stab of pain he felt when she said she loved Tyler Lockwood. That she had been in love with him, and he had been everything to her.

He told himself that it was only because of how the Lockwood boy had abandoned her. How he had convinced her to take the fall for his own stupid actions, and left her to crumble and pick up the pieces while he left to live his life.

He told himself that, if only to push away the desire he felt in the back of his mind that was telling him that was exactly what he longed to be to her.

"That's what it comes down to, isn't it?" he pondered quietly, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "Love? Stupid, foolish love. Where's it gotten you, Caroline? Hmm?"

He was mocking her, Caroline realized, a tightness in her chest as she tried to recognize the man who was standing in front of her with the man she'd gotten to know over the last few weeks. His words were short and harsh, such a fury and a bitterness behind them. So different from the way he would whisper to her in the night, telling her she was beautiful, and strong. Telling her that she was invaluable. Precious. Meant for so much more.

All she saw before her now was the man he wanted her to see. The man who didn't love, and couldn't love her. The man who had so much admitted that what they had together was nothing more than a passing fancy.

She sighed, closing her eyes. "Nowhere," she whispered brokenly, wrapping her arms around her chest in a protective cocoon. "Nowhere, that's where love got me, Klaus. Is that what you want to hear? How stupid it all was? How stupid I was, to think that Tyler would actually still be standing there with me? How stupid I still am, for even going along with it?" She shook her head, raising a hand to swipe at the tear stains on her face. She slowly raised her gaze to meet his stoic one, his face a complete mask of impassivity. She could feel the anger rising in her throat. She wanted to hit him. She wanted to yell and scream, and demand that he just admit that he was hurt. That he didn't mean the cruel things he was saying, or the way he was treating her. She wanted him to admit that he wasn't this cold, heartless man standing before her now.

But in that moment he was.

"I loved him," she said, squaring her shoulders as she met his glare head on. "But that's not something I would expect you to understand."

In the back of her mind, she knew she would regret her words later. When she saw the flash of hurt pass across his face in the split second before his mask was back again, she knew she would never forgive herself. She knew he would never forgive her, for throwing his own insecurities in his face.

She knew then that there was no going back from this.

His jaw clenched, his gaze narrowing, and he let out a slow breath as he nodded. He looked away, running a hand down as his face, and turned. He walked towards the door, his steps heavy, and he reached for the knob to the door. Perhaps, under different circumstances, he might have been able to appreciate the irony of this moment. The role reversal, from the first time they'd had an argument like this, where he was the one watching her walk away.

He sighed, turning his head to look at her. She hadn't moved, her arms still crossed over her chest, the shine of tears still marring her cheeks. Her eyes were staring after him shakily, pain written clearly across her face.

He looked at her, his brow rising. "Perhaps I was right after all," he said, watching her eyes slide to meet his. "Maybe you are just as damaged as me."

A broken sob escaped her lips, piercing a knife through his heart, and he turned away, pulling open the door and striding out into the hall, letting it fall shut behind him with a quiet click. His knuckles were white as his hand gripped the door knob, his eyes clenching shut as he leaned against the door.

He pulled himself away, steeling his gaze and squaring his shoulders, a resigned sigh escaping his lips.

He didn't care. He didn't feel.

He wouldn't let this be the end of him.

Caroline stood frozen in the same spot he'd left her, listening as she heard his footsteps fade down the hall, off to his own room or somewhere else. Away from her, is all she knew.

She couldn't hold it in anymore. Her walls came crashing down around her, and she heard the broken, heart wrenching sobs pour from her lips faster than she could stop them. Her shoulder shook, her fingers grasped at her throat, fighting to stop the sounds that were escaping her. She felt her knees buckling, and she slid to the floor, her back sliding along the contours of the bed behind her.

She couldn't feel anything. She could only see flashes—of Tyler and the accident, the face of Jeremy Gilbert the day he'd buried his family, the look of complete devastation and disappointment on her mother's face, the heated glare and the hushed whispers. She saw everything she'd lost over the years, flashing through her mind.

She saw Klaus, his gaze impassive and his words cold, walking away.

She was still crying an hour later, when she heard Stefan make his way into her room. She sobbed into his chest when he sunk to his knees next to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. She cried through his every reassurance, his every promise that he'd make sure everything turned out. That he wouldn't let her be hurt more than she already was.

She cried for everything—everything she'd had, everything she'd lost.

She cried until she thought she had nothing left in her to cry for. Nothing but a hole in her chest, an emptiness that, in that moment, was more than she thought she could bear.

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**Most of you guessed it. Tyler was the one responsible, and Caroline took the fall. All in the name of love.**

**Hopefully, you don't all hate me for this. I totally understand if you do, though, because I kind of hate myself for writing it. **

**Please drop by the reviews, and share your pain with me. **

**Stalk me on Tumblr: klarolineepiclove. (You can share your pain with me there, too.)**

**Until next time, my lovelies. **


	18. Chapter 18

**Rescue Me**

**Chapter 18**

**A.N. Is everybody still alive after last week's episodes and the release of 4x18's stills? Because I'm not truly sure I am.**

**Thank you guys sooo much to your response from last chapter! I was very pleased to not get any death threats, so I thank you for that. But you guys seriously blow me away.**

**We're coming down to the wire now! There's only two chapters left after this and it's so bittersweet!**

**This is probably my favorite chapter to date, so I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did writing it.**

**As always, thanks to Meha for being my idea bouncer and still being as enthusiastic for this story as she was in the beginning. **

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Family breakfast had never been a very common affair in the Mikaelson family.

During their teenage years, the elder siblings were always constantly on the move. Between academics and sports and other such activities most students participated in, early morning meals were few and far between. Elijah was always off on some scholastic event, Finn—while quite the overachiever himself—was most of the time already off with Sage by breakfast. Kol's eyes rarely ever saw the early morning light, and Rebekah's moods were always so sporadic, it was always a guessing game as to whether she would join them with a smile or throw a complete fit and lock herself away in her bedroom.

Henrik, of course, enjoyed the few family meals they all shared.

And Klaus…

Klaus preferred to avoid anything and everything that would put him in direct contact with Mikael.

Over the years, once Mikael was dead, anytime the family happened to be in the same place at the same time—which was few and far between, much to Esther's disappointment—their mother made it a priority to have her family together as one.

Which more than likely answered why Henrik came knocking on his bedroom door at 6 the next morning, stifling a yawn while wearing a smile and barely giving his sleep deprived form a second thought.

"If you don't come with me now, Mum will be on her way up," Henrik had warned when his brother opened his mouth to decline, and smirked when Klaus' shoulders slumped in defeat as he turned into his room and grabbed a shirt to pull over his head.

He shuffled after his younger brother, running a hand down his tired face as he cast an anxious look down the hall. He found himself wondering if Caroline had slept as poorly as he had. Did she toss and turn like he had, unconsciously reaching for him like he had found himself doing again and again?

He could admit now, he'd let his anger get the best of him last night. He'd let his wounded pride speak over his concern for her, and the result had been something that pained him worse than any wound Mikael could have inflicted on him. The image of her face falling after he'd muttered the words of her being just as damaged as him was one he couldn't get out of his mind.

He was no better than Tyler Lockwood, using her own insecurities against her.

He sighed, turning back and following Henrik's lanky form down the stairs, his ears picking up the sounds of his sibling's banter and teasing.

Esther sat at the head of the table, her blonde hair perfectly coifed, pale lavender pantsuit perfectly pressed. Her glossed lips turned up in a smile when her two sons waltzed through the door. "Well, it's certainly time you graced the land of the living, Niklaus."

Kol snorted, his face buried his crossed arms on the table, unruly hair even more disheveled. "Land of the living _dead_," he croaked, his voice still groggy with sleep. "The sun has barely risen, Mother, why the bloody hell you insisted on dragging us all out of bed…"

"Well, perhaps if you hadn't consumed so much of the Devil's drink last night, you would be more coherent, my son," she replied, raising a steaming mug of coffee to her lips.

Klaus' mouth involuntarily turned up in a smirk as he reached for the freshly brewed pot of coffee on the counter.

"Why doesn't Finn have to bear the brunt of an early morning wake up call," Kol whined, raising his head. "As much as I may wish otherwise, he's a part of this family as well."

Elijah cleared his throat, holding a hand to his chest to keep his tie in place as he pulled out his chair. "With three small children, I can assure you, Kol, that Finn and Sage get quite the morning wake up call without Mother's help."

Kol snorted, reaching across the table to snag a piece of bacon off the serving plate. "They should have known better. Any child from our family is bound to be a complete heathen."

Across the table, Rebekah coughed and choked as she took swig of her orange juice, frantically grabbing the napkin next to her plate and bringing it to her mouth. Her blue eyes were wide as she sputtered, and she cringed when every pair of eyes at the table looked to her in concern. She waved a hand, clearing her throat as she settled the napkin across her lap. "Went down the wrong pipe," she muttered.

"Finn and Sage will be joining us later to help with the rehearsal dinner," Esther said, smiling at Klaus as he took a seat next to Henrik and reached for a bagel. "This is the biggest family gathering we've had since Henrik was born. So please, my children…be on your best behavior."

Kol threw up his hands. "Why do you immediately look at me when you say that?"

"Because you cause most of the problems," Katherine pitched in, shoveling a forkful of scrambled eggs into her mouth.

Esther sighed, raising a hand to rub her suddenly aching temple, shaking her head as Kol hissed at his sister-in-law and the curly haired brunette returned the gesture with a swipe of her nails. "I've done all I can."

Klaus couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips at his mother's apparent exasperation, but his amusement was short lived as Stefan Salvatore suddenly walked through the kitchen door. He could feel the smile slip from his face as he stared at his future brother-in-law.

This was the man that had knowingly aided in Caroline's ruse. This man let his self-professed best friend live a lie that not only ruined her own life, but allowed the true culprit to escape unscathed and guilt free. This was the man who claimed to love Caroline, and yet allowed her to live in her own personal hell for five long years.

"Stefan, good morning," Esther greeted. "Would you care for some breakfast?"

Stefan smiled, nodding his head as he maneuvered his way around the table, bracing his hands against the back of Rebekah's chair as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips, murmuring a good morning before sliding into the empty seat next to him.

"Where is the lovely Caroline?" Elijah inquired, lifting his cup of tea to his lips.

"Uh, Caroline's feeling a little…under the weather," Stefan answered, resting his elbows on the table. He could feel Klaus' eyes burning into him, but he kept his gaze trained on the family matriarch, smiling when he saw her face turn into a mask of concern. "She'll be fine. She's just gonna rest for a couple more hours, and then she'll be ready to face the world."

Esther smiled. "That's good to hear. I'd hate for her to miss out on everything she had such a hand in planning."

Stefan nodded, resting his chin against his folded hands, and finally let his gaze travel to the Mikaelson brother who sat across from his, their eyes locking. Klaus' gaze was hard against his own, the steely blue orbs pinning him with an accusatory glare.

He stared back, unflinching.

Caroline's sobs were still ringing in his ears, and he felt a protectiveness then, knowing that the man across from him was part of the cause for them.

"Well," Esther exclaimed, clapping her hands together as she rose to her feet, unknowingly ending the heated glaring occurring at that moment. "We mustn't let the day slip away from us."

"The day has barely started," Kol moaned.

"Your sister is only going to get married once," she continued on, ignoring her son's bemoans with an eyeroll. "If we want tomorrow to go off without a hitch, then tonight must as well, so behave, my children. I don't want to catch wind of any kind of shenanigans that could paint this family in a poor light. Understood?" There was a hum of confirmation, and she smiled, nodding her head once. "Very well, then. You're all free to carry on for the afternoon, but do please remember to be punctual tonight? Rebekah, darling, I would love to see your dress sometime today, since I couldn't make it to your fitting yesterday."

Rebekah smiled, nodding. "Of course, Mother."

"Alright then. I'm off to meet your brother, so please try to stay out of trouble," Esther said, pushing in her chair and making her way out of the kitchen.

"I thought you said we could carry on as we pleased?" Kol called after her, grinning when Elijah let out a sigh of frustration that eerily mirrored the one that simultaneously came from their mother as she made her way down the hall. "Lighten up, Elijah."

The family breakfast began to disperse then, Kol murmuring something about crawling back into bed for a few hours and Henrik following on his heels. Katherine rose to her feet and stretched her arms over her head, her flimsy blue tank top riding up to show a large expanse of her toned abdomen. She was eyeing her husband with an odd glint in her eyes, one that was obviously mirrored in the eldest Mikaelson's gaze, and she grinned seductively up at him when he stood and wrapped an arm around her waist, burying his face in her mess of dark curls as they made their way from the kitchen.

Klaus remained in his seat, an odd pang in his chest as he watched Elijah and Katherine. It was a pang that had been irritatingly present for much longer than he cared to admit. He realized that the idea of sharing his life with someone wasn't as detestable as it used to be. Waking up to someone, sharing a bowl of cereal in the morning, arguing over which section of the newspaper they would read first. Sharing the simple things he did on his own now—things that, when he was being honest with himself—seemed meaningless without a certain blonde haired spitfire.

He sighed, shaking such thoughts from his head. Love was a weakness, he reminded himself. He didn't love. He didn't care. It was how he survived.

He turned his attention to the couple across the table, tilting his head as he watched his younger sister lean in close to her betrothed, her voice hushed as she spoke to him.

"There's something I'd like to talk to you about later, Stefan," she was saying, a hint of hesitation on her face which only caused the young Salvatore to frown. "Later tonight? Mother will kill me if I'm not around to show her the dress before tomorrow."

Stefan nodded, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek. "Yeah, sure, babe," he said, smiling. He watched her let out a breath, her blue eyes seeming to dart about in her face as she nodded, leaning forward and brushing her lips against his before rising to her feet. She reached across the table and snatched a blueberry muffin from one of the plates, shooting her brother a smile before turning on her heel and disappearing down the hall.

The kitchen was silent as the two men now sat alone, the ticking of the clock on the wall mirroring their steady heartbeats as their gazes met once more.

Klaus found himself leaning back in his chair, one arm draped over its back as the other rested against the table. "It must be exhausting," he said, lifting his hand from the table slightly as he shrugged. "Living a lie for as long as you have."

Stefan sighed, turning in his seat. "Whatever you have to say, Klaus, just say it."

Klaus chuckled low in his throat. "Well, where should I start then? Perhaps when you realized the mistake she was making by taking the blame, or when you stupidly decided to go along with it? I'm actually finding it quite difficult to make up my mind about which is a greater trespass for you, Mr. Salvatore."

Stefan shook his head. "You don't understand."

"Ah, you see, that's exactly what Caroline said. But I did understand. I understand that she was a vulnerable, terrified girl who was taken in by some sordid promise of love from a boy. I understand that she foolishly thought she was doing the right thing for someone she imagined as being her whole world. That I understand. What I don't understand is how you, her self-professed best friend who on a number of occasions has proven that you'll do or say anything as long as it keeps her out of harm's way, could knowingly go along with a lie that has obviously destroyed her. So please, Stefan…enlighten me."

Stefan smiled then, an almost mocking smile, and he shook his head, settling back into his chair. "You know, Klaus, for someone who is a, uh…self-professed disbeliever in love and only sees caring as a weakness, you seem to be quite passionate right now…about Caroline." He watched the older man's eyes narrow, and he sighed, the smile slipping from his face. "I didn't know at first. She didn't tell me."

Klaus tapped his fingers against the tabletop. "When?"

"Almost a year later. Spring break from college, I was in Chicago visiting her, and we saw Tyler on the television. Some sports coverage about how he was the next rising star." There was a bitterness to his voice, a tone that made Klaus' anger dim just slightly. Clearly there was no love lost between the Lockwood boy and Stefan. "He was the on the screen, and then he was pulling some nameless brunette to him, and the look on Caroline's face…" He sighed, his hand raising to rub at his tired eyes. "We got drunk that night, and she told me, and I begged her to tell someone. I begged her to come clean, because her taking the blame while Tyler was out living the high life with no repercussions whatsoever…"

"But she didn't," Klaus concluded.

"She didn't. And she begged me to keep quiet. She told me that it was her decision, and that if I respected her at all, I would respect that too. And it is a decision that I have regretted every day since."

Klaus was silent, his only response a slow, heavy breath escaping through his nose as he contemplated the words of the younger man.

"Tyler broke her, Klaus," Stefan continued, leaning forward and resting his forearms against the table. "She won't admit it, but a part of her died on that bridge that night. A part of her died when she realized she wasn't anything more to Tyler than a scapegoat. That all the dreams she had of their life together would never become a reality, all because of _him_."

"Then why is he still walking around, hmm? Why is she still playing along with his deluded fantasy?"

"Because she's Caroline," Stefan said, a sad, yet fond smile on his face as he shrugged. "Because in her heart, she honestly believes everyone can be saved. Everyone can be redeemed. There is a part of her that is still holding out hope that Tyler will take responsibility. Or he'll apologize or…who knows. She is still going along with this because promises mean something to her, no matter how foolish they might be."

_She believes anyone can be saved._

The words rolled of him in waves. She believed he could be saved. He knew that. And yes, perhaps there was a part of him that saw his own redemption in her.

But he refused to resign her to his darkness. He was hollow. Empty. A void of who he couldn't even remember he used to be.

"So that's what it comes down to?" he mused. "Caroline and her foolish hope that good exists in everyone?" He shook his head, chuckling. "Perhaps she needs to be cured of that."

"You say that, but you and I both know that's not something you would ever want."

Klaus lifted his eyebrows in surprise at Stefan's reply. "And why is that?"

The younger man lifted his head, a sigh leaving him as he locked his gaze with Klaus'. "Because if she lost that, she never would have given you a chance."

0000000000

Caroline steadied her breathing as her fingers fidgeted against the railing of the staircase.

The rehearsal for the ceremony tomorrow had gone off without a hitch. She couldn't deny that the wedding itself would be stunning tomorrow.

The large backyard of the boarding house had been transformed into a magnificent courtyard of sorts. The large oak trees that lined the property were adorned with light blue paper lanterns, each one containing a single votive candle that would be lit before the ceremony. Rows and rows of cushioned white chairs lined the yard, a long, white expanse of fabric creating the aisle way. Blue and white rose petals would be sprinkled on it tomorrow morning, and the blue fabric that would drape over every row of chairs would be tied and curled before the guests began to arrive.

Stefan and Rebekah would exchange their vows under the arch of a handcrafted gazebo, a gift from the partners at Stefan's firm.

The whole thing looked like it could be out of one of those cheesy romance movies she was always dragging Stefan to see when they were teenagers. The ones that he would moan and groan about, but would always be wearing a goofy grin when the couple reunited in the end.

He could play tough guy all he wanted, but her best friend was a complete romantic at heart.

Klaus had been absent from the actual rehearsal. She hadn't quite decided if she was disappointed or relieved by that fact.

She'd said some horrible things to him the previous night. Things that she had wanted to take back the second they left her lips. She'd wanted to chase after him after he'd left. She wanted to make him understand. She wanted to make him see that she wasn't some stupid high school girl anymore.

Caroline sighed, closing her eyes as she squared her shoulders and began her descent down the stairs. She could hear the hustle and bustle of the guests as they mingled and waltzed around with their plates.

Rebekah had insisted on a mellow rehearsal dinner. Finger foods and wine, with plenty of time for chit chat and mingling. She wanted it to be relaxed—a chance to breath before the excitement of the wedding itself took precedence.

Somehow, half the town had been invited once more. She knew the second she crossed into the foyer, all those eyes would be on her, however brief they may be. She certainly prayed that the small town of Mystic Falls wouldn't turn Rebekah's big day into a look-at-poor-murdering-Caroline-Forbes starefest.

She took a deep breath, her heels clicking lightly against the polished hardwood floors as she slowly made her way into the foyer. She plastered a pleasant smile onto her face, relief washing over her when anyone barely spared her a glance, and she let her eyes rake over the crowds of people for a familiar face.

She caught sight of Elijah and Katherine over by the fireplace, Katherine's dark curls pinned elegantly atop her head and her arm slipped through her husband's as she leaned against him, her pretty face smiling up at Alaric Saltzman and his wife Jenna as they laughed.

Sage was across the room, kneeling down and talking softly to one of the triplets, whose attention was solely distracted the constant stream of people that went by. Finn stood behind her, his arms held behind his back as he smiled wistfully down at them, all while keeping one well trained eye on the other two who huddled just behind him, their innocent faces full of excitement.

Henrik was by the dessert table, a full plate of cakes and cupcakes and cookies in one hand while the other held a rather large cinnamon roll. He was talking to Coach Tanner, the football coach and history teacher at Mystic Falls High, and his youthful face held a wide grin as he appeared transfixed by whatever the man was saying.

Caroline sighed when she failed to spot the one face she was both dreading and anticipating. Certainly he wouldn't have left?

"Caroline."

She turned when her name was called, a genuine smile popping onto her face when she Bonnie making her way towards her.

The caramel skinned beauty was grinning at her as she nearly skipped over, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulders. She was clothed in a tightfitting black wraparound dress, the fabric clinging to her curves with every movement.

"Bonnie, you made it," she laughed, closing her eyes as her old friend pulled her in for a tight hug.

"Of course, I did," Bonnie said, pulling back and swiping at the thick bangs that fell into her eyes. "I missed the engagement party—there was no way I was missing this shindig. But seriously, it's kind of massive, right?"

Caroline laughed, nodding, as she looked back over at the crowds of people. "Yeah…Rebekah doesn't do anything at half speed."

Bonnie laughed. "I'm getting that. I've only met her a few times, but she's quite the piece of work. She'll keep Stefan on his toes, that's for sure."

Caroline could only nod in agreement, wondering to herself if Rebekah had revealed her little secret to her future husband yet. She didn't imagine so. She sincerely doubted Stefan would be hobnobbing with the Mystic Falls population at the moment if he was just slapped with the surprise of a pregnancy.

She felt Bonnie's hand touch her elbow softly, and she turned her head, a smile on her face as she met the girl's concerned gaze.

"You doing okay?" Bonnie asked softly. "I mean…with everything, and being back?"

Caroline had always been thankful for Bonnie Bennett. Next to Stefan, she had been her best friend throughout their entire childhood. She supposed she connected with Bonnie a bit better than she had with Elena. They both came from "broken homes" after all. Bonnie's mother had left when she was very young, and with an absentee father, most of her rearing was left to her grandmother, Miss Sheila. Her whole situation was oddly reminiscent of Caroline's own, apart from having the devoted grandmother she could count on to show up at the cheer competitions.

After the accident, Bonnie had been the only person in their entire school who had still talked to her. She brought over The Notebook and popcorn, and they would camp out in her bedroom and Bonnie would let her cry or just be silent, all the while never passing a single judgment towards her.

She never asked what had happened, or asked how she could be so stupid to get behind the wheel of a car while drunk. She never mocked her, or called her names, or did anything to make the hell she had been going through any harder.

She was just there, the silent support she needed. And Caroline had never been more grateful.

She shrugged, offering up a smile. "Taking it a day at a time, I guess."

Bonnie nodded, her lips quirking up into a half smile, but before she could reply, Kol sidled his way up to them, draping an arm across Caroline's shoulders and tugging her closer to him.

"Caroline, darling, you look absolutely breathtaking," he crooned, a wicked grin on his face as his eyes took in her pale cream dress. "Careful to not let Rebekah see you too closely. You'll drive her mad with jealousy." His teasing grin soon faded and was replaced with a flirtatious smirk as he seemed to finally realize they weren't alone. His eyes seemed to widen when they landed on Bonnie, his head tilting to the side as his gaze raked her over from head to foot. "Well…who might you be, kitten?"

Bonnie arched a disbelieving brow. "Kitten?"

Caroline smothered a laugh at her friend's apparent disgust at Kol's obvious flirting, lifting a hand to her lips to hide her smile.

Kol shrugged. "My apologies, do you prefer something a bit more predatory? Tigress, perhaps? I sense quite the little wildcat behind that pretty face of yours." He smiled, leaning his head a bit further towards her. "What's your name, love?"

Bonnie was staring at him, her face an almost comical mix of amusement and horror. She was no stranger to the occasional pick up lines here and there, but whoever this guy was, he was taking it to a whole new level. She let her gaze tick over to Caroline, who rolled her eyes and shrugged. She sighed, turning her attention back to handsome brunette who was eying her with interest. "Bonnie."

Kol's eyes lit up. "Well, that's quite a fitting name for a beauty such as yourself isn't it, my Bonnie lass? I'm Kol. Kol Mikaelson." He reached out a hand, pulling her own into his grasp and bringing it up to his lips with a smile, his arm dropping from Caroline's shoulders as he pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

Realization dawned on Bonnie's face and she smiled, nodding, as she slipped her hand from his grasp. "Mikaelson. So the whole piece of work thing runs in the family, I'm guessing."

"My surname precedes me," he said, grinning. "Well, please, Bonnie, allow me to offer you a drink and perhaps regale you with some other family traits that may just intrigue you."

Bonnie tilted her head, black hair falling off her shoulder as she pursed her lips in mock consideration. She clicked her tongue, shifting on her feet before shaking her head. "I think I'll pass," she said, smiling at him as she turned on her heel to walk away. "I'll catch up with you later, Care."

Caroline giggled, turning her head to watch Kol's mesmerized gaze follow Bonnie as she weaved her way through the crowd. She shook her head, patting his shoulder sympathetically and drawing his attention back to her. "She is so far out of your league, it's hysterical."

Kol tossed his arms out to his sides, an unrepentant grin on his face. "She's a goddess," he exclaimed. "I take back every piss poor thing I said about this forsaken town. Your lovely friend Bonnie has redeemed it in my eyes."

"Kol, you have a better shot with Eva Longoria than you do with Bonnie Bennett."

He shrugged, straightening out his button up shirt as he smiled cockily. "My odds are much better than you assume, Miss Forbes, because I happened to meet the lovely Miss Parker at a party once in SoHo, and I do not exaggerate when I saw her eyes lingered a bit longer on this fine piece of meat than she would care to admit."

Caroline laughed.

"You laugh now, darling, but I will have Miss Bennett swooning before the week is out," Kol declared, leaning forward and pressing a fond kiss to her cheek before turning and pursuing the path the dark skinned beauty had taken moments before.

She watched him go with a fond smile, her chest constricting the slightest bit at just how much this family had come to mean to mean to her in such a short time. She sighed suddenly, crossing her arms over her chest as her gaze scoured the crowd for any sign of Klaus.

She needed to speak to him. She needed to apologize for the things she'd said. She needed to tell him just how much she cared about what he thought. Just how much she cared about him.

"Niklaus has a habit of disappearing during social gatherings."

Caroline jumped at the sudden voice, and she whipped around to see Esther standing just off to her side, a glass of champagne in her hand and a smile on her face.

She smiled, relaxing, and nodded. "Yeah, he's kind of the more blend into the background kind of guy when it comes to stuff like this."

Esther nodded, stepping closer to her. She was stunning in a pale pink dress, a white shrug adorning her shoulders and a teardrop diamond necklace hanging low on her neck. "It's wonderful, how much you seem to know about him," she said, bringing the glass to her lips. "He's always been so withdrawn, my son. Never truly seeming to connect with anyone. Almost as if he was afraid to."

Caroline's eyes snapped up to her then, the nonchalant way she was speaking seeming to strike a nerve deep in her subconscious. She was reminded of the story of Klaus' traumatic childhood, with an abusive father and a mother who turned a blind eye.

She'd thought, after first meeting Esther Mikaelson, that the woman was overcompensating for her failure of Klaus as a child. She was doting and affectionate, always smiling at him and brushing her hand against his shoulder in a motherly fashion. Caroline had just assumed it was her way of making up for not being there when he needed her most.

But she was starting to realize, in that moment, that it wasn't the case at all.

No. Esther Mikaelson wasn't overcompensating for being a neglectful mother.

She was in denial. Somehow, she had convinced herself that the years of abuse and fear hadn't happened.

It would explain why Klaus was so uncomfortable around her. Why he held her at arm's length.

His pain, apparently, meant nothing to her.

"Niklaus was always the odd one out when he was growing up with his siblings," Esther continued, completely disregarded the now hardened way the young blonde was staring at her. "I think he often felt left out at times…"

Caroline shrugged, rocking back on her heels slightly. "Probably because he wasn't your husband's son." She watched as the older woman's shocked gaze snapped to her. "He felt left out because Mikael didn't love him like he did your other children."

Esther gaped at her for a moment, her eyes wide, before she schooled her face into a neutral expression. "I wasn't aware Niklaus shared that bit of information with you, Caroline."

She nodded, twisting her body so that she could face her more fully, all the while shielding their conversation from the people around them. "Yeah, he told me a lot of things," she continued, watching as Klaus' mother's face seemed to pale with the coldness of her words. "Like how he always felt a little less than Elijah or Finn. Or how he could never achieve enough to garner the same kind of praise your husband bestowed on his younger siblings. Or the horrific beatings he got when he did nothing wrong at all."

Esther's mouth dropped open with her last statement, and she let out a mortified scoff. "I beg your padon."

Caroline laughed, shaking her head. "Jesus, you know, at first I thought you were just trying to make up for it all. Wanting to make sure Klaus knew that you loved him and were sorry for the abuse he had to suffer at Mikael's hands for a mistake YOU made. But that's not it at all, is it? No, you've deluded yourself into believing that it never happened. You've convinced yourself that every hospital visit and every scar and every nightmare he woke up screaming from was just typical childhood drama, right?"

"I'm sorry, Caroline, but just who do you think you are, speaking to me like that?" Esther said, her panicked eyes now narrowed as she dropped her arms to her sides. "Do you honestly believe that I would allow my own son to suffer any form of abuse at the hands of anyone?"

"I think if you were scared enough of your husband, you would," Caroline replied, tilting her chin up when she saw the flash of guilt pass through the older woman's eyes. In a flash, it was gone, and she suddenly realized where Klaus had inherited that very trait from.

"My husband," Esther sneered, lowering her voice as she took a step closer to her. "Was a difficult man. I won't deny that. And, yes, perhaps he was a bit harder on Niklaus along the way, but—,"

Caroline shook her head, cutting her off. "No. Being harder on a child is pushing them harder in school. Or making them try out for sports or clubs or the freaking Olympics. It is _not_ beating a teenage boy with a tire iron because he doesn't know how to change a flat tire."

Esther recoiled at that, one hand coming up to cover the gasp that unconsciously slipped past her lips, and Caroline realized that no matter how hard she may have been trying to repress it, the memories of Klaus' childhood were still very fresh in his mother's mind.

"Do you have any idea how damaged Klaus is because of what your husband did to him? What YOU did to him? You turned away. You turned your back when he needed you the most. It is a mother's job to protect her children. From her own husband, if it calls for it. And your refusal to even acknowledge what Mikael did to him only makes it that much worse. He was a child. A child who did absolutely nothing wrong, but spent his entire life wishing he were better or more like his other brothers, just so he wouldn't have to face the wrath of the man he thought was father. He thought it was his fault. Do you understand how completely fucked up that is?"

Esther stared at her, speechless, and Caroline could swear she could see the shine of unshed tears in her eyes.

She scoffed, shaking her head. "You know, your son is damaged. But you know what? So am I. I am so completely damaged that it makes me laugh and cry all at once," she said, laughing sadly. "It makes me love him that much more, Mrs. Mikaelson. Because sometimes it takes another damaged person to see just how extraordinary they are. And you can stand there, and go back to your delusional world where you had the perfect husband, and the perfect family, and you can tell me to go to hell. But just know that your son is already there. He is already there, carrying around this feeling of complete inferiority, and thinking that he is incapable of love because of the hell you let happen to him. You damaged him, just as much as your husband did, if not more."

She took a deep breath, her eyes widened as she glared up at the older woman, watching the flurry of emotions flash across her face. She didn't want to hear excuses. She didn't want to hear the woman offer up some poor reasoning as to why she'd let the abuse go on so long. She didn't want to hear the woman utter a single word in her husband's defense.

She shook her head, huffing, and walked away from her, not bothering with a second glance.

She was running a hand through her hair, trying to calm her raging heart, when a tight grip grabbed ahold of her wrist and pulled her off to the side, into the shadows of an abandoned hallways. Her eyes shot up, expecting to be met with a familiar stormy shade of blue, but was caught off guard when instead a pair of deep brown eyes stared down at her.

"Tyler."

Tyler stood before her, his tall, muscled frame draped in an expensive suit and tie. She briefly recalled Stefan mentioning that Mayor Lockwood was going to be attending the rehearsal dinner that night, and she cursed herself for not even entertaining the idea that Carol would bring her son along for the ride.

She sighed, pulling her wrist from his grip and taking a step back. "What do you want?"

"Who have you told, Caroline?" Tyler demanded, his gaze hard and angry as he stared down at her.

Caroline frowned. "What? Tyler, I haven't told anyone." Which really wasn't a lie when she thought about it. Klaus had drawn his own conclusions.

"Don't lie, Caroline," he said, taking a step towards her, his action causing her to backpedal slightly, her back meeting the wall behind her with a soft thud. "People are looking at me different now. They're staring and whispering, and the only reason that would even be is if you opened your mouth." He lowered his head until they were eye to eye. "Does Stefan know?"

Caroline's gaze darted to the entryway to the hall, her hear tightening in her chest when she saw that no one had seemed to notice them slip away from the party. Tyler's face was fierce, his tone hard and angry, and she was reminded of his temper in high school. He could snap at the drop of a coin, and while he never once harmed her in any way, she would be lying if she didn't admit his fits of rage had left her shaking at times.

"He does, doesn't he?" Tyler demanded, pressing his hands against the wall next to her head when he saw her start to inch away. "Of course he does. The two of you were always so fucking close. Of course you would tell him. Jesus, Caroline, how can you be so stupid?"

She flinched at his words, her eyes meeting his warily. "Tyler…"

"Who else knows? Who else did you blab to, Caroline? Do you have any idea what this could do to me? I mean, fuck, Caroline, I thought we had a deal."

She couldn't help the anger she suddenly felt at his words. What this would do to him. What he would lose. How this affected him.

No mention or thought whatsoever about how she had been affected over the years, or what she had lost.

She took a deep breath, slowly lifting her hands to press gently against his chest. "Tyler, seriously, now is not the time to have this conversation."

She watched as his eyes flashed, and he gritted his teeth, and then she jumped and let out a shriek when his hands slammed against the wall inches from her head, the sound of a framed picture falling to the ground and shattering at their feet.

"Tell me, Caroline!" he was yelling now, his voice echoing against the walls and she prayed that someone overheard them over the music and flurry of conversation as fear laced through her. "Tell me!"

Caroline shrinked further back against the wall. "Tyler…"

She jumped suddenly when a hand grabbed Tyler's shoulder from behind, and his body was roughly ripped away from hers. She shot up to her full height, her eyes landing on Klaus' familiar form as he threw Tyler down the hall and out into the foyer, his body skidding across the floor and landing in a heap just outside the hallway.

Tyler was up in a flash, his face a mask of rage as he stalked towards Klaus. Caroline couldn't see his face, but she knew Klaus' handsome face was dark and menacing, his shoulders straight and broad as he towered over her exboyfriend by at least half a foot.

"That's no way to treat a lady, mate," Klaus growled, his hands balled into fists at his side as he stared down Tyler.

Caroline warily made her way to the end of the hall, her hand clutched against her chest, heartbeat thundering under her touch as her eyes darted from the slowly quieting crowd to the two men standing chest to chest.

"This isn't any of your business, _mate," _Tyler sneered, shoving Klaus' shoulder a bit rougher than necessary.

Caroline could barely call out to him to stop before Klaus had Tyler's wrist in a steel grip, twisting his arm at an odd angle and bringing the man to his knees with a shout of pain. She watched in horror as Tyler struggled against him, his foot finally shooting out behind him to kick Klaus in the shin. He stumbled back, his grip slipping, and he straightened just as Tyler was making his way back to his feet.

The crowd's attention was fully on them now, people hovering just outside the semicircle that had started to form, but no one brave enough to venture forward.

Tyler was inching back towards Klaus, and the blonde let out a dark chuckle. "Step down, Lockwood," he said, his fists clenching at his sides, and Caroline knew it was only a matter of time before he threw a punch.

"She fed you the story too, huh?" Tyler said, pointing over Klaus' shoulder towards her. "She's lying, for Christ's sakes. What, you actually believe it? Listen man, I know she's great in the sack, but she is fucking playing you."

Caroline could feel the prick of tears against her eyes as she listened to Tyler's hateful voice. This was the boy who had promised her a marriage and lifetime of happiness. Kids and dreams and everything she could ever ask for, and now here he was spewing out so much hate she was left with backlash.

A growl resonated from deep in Klaus' throat, and she watched as he took a menacing step towards him. "Step. Down."

There was a warning in his voice that send a shiver down her spine, and she feared for Tyler in that moment. She knew Klaus was channeling all of his anger over her situation into the man who was actually responsible, and she feared that if someone didn't intervene now…

"Back off," Tyler said, shoving his face into Klaus' line of sight and raising his eyebrows in challenge. "She's lying. She's a stupid, small town girl who's out to get rich quick by pinning her own mistake onto me. She's a shallow, neurotic, bitchy little twit, and the fact that you are honestly buying into her whole spiel makes you the stupidest—,"

Before he could even finish his thought, Klaus shoved him hard with a snarl, sending him back several steps. The crowd gasped and stepped away, shouts of warning and shock escaping their lips when Klaus stalked towards him, his first balled at his side, his arm pulling back—

But before he could even make another move, Tyler let out a grunt and flew to the floor, blood spurting from a cut on his lip where a different fist had made contact.

Everyone stood shocked, staring at Stefan as he glared down at Tyler, shaking his fist and wincing. His lips curled up in disgust as he watched Tyler slowly pull himself into a sitting position, wiping his mouth on his sleeve and cringing at the red streak that now adorned his sleeve.

"What the hell is going on here?"

They all turned then to see Sheriff Forbes pushing her way through the crowd, her usual police uniform forgone for a black cocktail dress, though Caroline knew the small clutch she held in her hand also held her gun and badge.

She was taking in the scene before her, her eyes traveling from Tyler's crumpled form, to Stefan and Klaus, before landing on her. Her gaze softened when she saw her daughter's tear streaked face, and she took a step forwards. "Well? Someone going to explain?"

Stefan sighed, shaking his head. He turned when he saw Rebekah run over to him, concern and fear written across her face as she took his bruised and bleeding hand in her own. "Go on, Tyler. Tell her."

Tyler glared up at him, resting an elbow on his bent knee.

Liz frowned, turning her gaze to the man on the ground. "Tyler?"

He shook his head, his heated glare turning onto Caroline, and she let out a defeated sigh as she shook her head. He stared at her, anger and resentment clouding his face, before Klaus stepped in his line of sight, effectively blocking her from his view.

"Tyler?" Liz asked again, stepping towards him. "Want to explain what happened?"

Tyler was breathing heavy as he avoided the sheriff's gaze, turning his head to spit a mouthful of blood onto the floor.

"Yes, Tyler," Klaus said, a cruel, mocking smile on his face. "Why don't you tell the sheriff how you manipulated her daughter into taking the fall for you five years ago?"

There was collective gasp from the room as every eye seemed to fixate on him, and he shook his head as he struggled to his feet. He wiped his hands on his suit jacket as he met Liz's confused but accusatory gaze. "Look, Liz—,"

"What are they talking about Tyler?" she demanded, her grip on her clutch tightening.

Tyler was silent, his jaw clenching as his eyes darted in every direction. He looked towards Caroline, but Klaus once more moved so his view was cut off.

"Tyler?" Liz tried again, her voice stern and demanding.

From his place, Stefan's gaze traveled to Caroline, and his eyes met hers. His heart clenched at the tears that were coursing down his best friend's face, and he watched as she shook her head, her eyes closing in resignation.

She knew she couldn't hide it anymore. She knew her lie was over.

She took a deep, steadying breath, and let her eyes slowly drift open. She gave him one small, subtle nod, relenting, and he sighed, taking a step towards her mother.

"Tyler was driving that night, Liz," he said softly, watching the sheriff's head snap to his with wide eyes. "Not Caroline. He talked her into taking the fall for him."

Liz gaped at him, her mouth moving in silence as she tried to absorb what she had just heard. The crowd around them was silent, and Stefan noticed the rest of the Mikaelson family making their way further to the front of the crowd.

Liz let out a breath, a broken, pained breath, as her she shifted her gaze to her daughter. "Is that true, Caroline?" she asked softly, watching as her daughter's shoulders shook with silent sobs.

Caroline sighed, reaching up to swipe at her tear stained cheeks. She didn't have to say anything, her mouth unable to even form a comprehensive word. She just met her mother's gaze, her eyes shining with regret and apology, and Liz knew in that second.

"She's lying," Tyler said suddenly, taking a step in Caroline's direction, but he was quickly blocked by not only Klaus, but Kol who had suddenly appeared at his brother's side, a near terrifying expression on his face. Tyler stumbled back a step. "Jesus, she has you all fooled. She's a fucking liar. Her dreams crashed and burned, and now she's after mine. Are you all that stupid to believe her over me?"

Liz stepped towards him, her hardened gaze bearing down on him until he was nearly shrinking from their glare. "No, Tyler," she said. "Apparently we were all stupid to believe you in the first place."

"Liz, come on…"

"Let's go, Tyler," she interrupted, putting her hand against his arm and steering him towards the front door, jerking with her head to someone in the crowd. Caroline recognized him as one of her deputies, and she watched as he pushed his way through the crowd and took ahold of Tyler's arm.

Tyler jerked against him, snarling. "Caroline, tell them!" he called over his shoulder, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of her as the deputy pulled him away. "Caroline!"

His voice faded down the hall as the man led him outside, and Liz stopped her trek in the same direction to look over at Caroline. Her lips were quivering, her brow furrowed, as the realization that she had forsaken her daughter and their relationship for nothing more than a teenage lie washed over her.

Her gaze locked on her daughter's, and they stared at each other for a long moment before Caroline gave her a nod, indicating that she should go and do her job. There would be time to talk later.

Liz nodded, casting one more glance at the crowd behind her, before she made her way out of the boarding house.

Silence resonated throughout the room after the door slammed shut behind her, and Caroline could feel every eye in the room flock to her. She suddenly felt suffocated, like years of lies and avoidance were suddenly clogging up her airways, and she realized she needed to get out of there. She needed to get away from the curious, accusatory eyes, and the concerned, confused gaze of Klaus' siblings and mother.

She could feel herself starting to hyperventilate, her breathing rapid and quick, and she nearly jumped when a gentle hand took a hold of her arm. She looked over to see Bonnie sliding her hand into hers, unshed tears shining in her hazel eyes as she gently pulled her along. "Come on, Care," she whispered, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as she guided her towards the staircase and away from the all the prying eyes.

She let herself be led away, but before she rounded the staircase she looked behind her, catching Klaus' eye as he stared at her. His face was a mix of regret and pain, frustration and longing, and she couldn't help the small sob that seemed to bubble from her lips when his eyes met hers.

She held his gaze until Bonnie pulled her up the stairs, not even making it halfway before the sobs starting wracking her small frame.

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"Honestly, Stefan, what the bloody hell were you thinking?"

Stefan stared incredulously at his fiancé as she scurried around the kitchen, slamming an ice tray against the counter loudly as she tried to free some of the cubes from their plastic casing.

"I was thinking 'God, Tyler is such a dick, I think I'm gonna punch him,'" he said, flinching when Rebekah whirled around to glare at him, her blonde hair flying behind him. "Rebekah, I was thinking of Caroline. You were there, you head it all. You head what he was saying."

After Caroline had disappeared with Bonnie, Katherine and Elijah had taken charge, quickly clearing out the boarding house and thanking everyone for coming. Somehow Katherine's brash and to-do attitude kept the questions at bay, and the crowd had dispersed rather quickly, leaving behind the few very confused members of the Mikaelson clan.

Rebekah had ushered him into the kitchen, snapping at Klaus to explain everything to them and "for goodness sakes, leave Caroline be." She'd shoved him onto one of the stools at the island, and quickly busied herself into creating an ice pack for his now swollen hand.

"Yes, what he said was completely deplorable, but you don't just go jumping into the fray on a whim," she snapped, turning back to the counter and dumping a number of the ice cubes into a hand towel. "You don't go throwing punches at a man who could quite possibly take you down in the blink of the an eye. It's stupid, Stefan, stupid and reckless. You should have just left it to Nik."

Stefan frowned, watching as she turned back to him, surprised to see a few tears slip from her eyes as she pressed the towel to his hand. "Bekah, hey…I'm fine, okay? It was one punch. A rightly deserved one, of course, but just a punch. I mean, I'm sure the swelling will go down before tomorrow, so if you're worried about that, don't be."

She scoffed, shaking her head. "You think I'm upset about your bloody hand? For God's sake, Stefan, you can't just do things like this anymore. You can't just jump into it or take a risk like that without a second thought!"

He shook his head. "Rebekah, I don't-,"

"I'm pregnant!"

He froze.

Rebekah sniffled, one hand wiping at the tears on her cheek while the other braced itself on her hip, her weigh shifting on her feet.

"You're…you're pregnant?"

She nodded, sighing, and threw her arms out at her sides. Her hands slapped against her hips as she huffed. "Yes, Stefan, I'm pregnant. And yes, I am absolutely terrified, and have no bloody idea how in the hell to handle any of this, so you diving into a scuffle and risking your own safety doesn't help me in the slightest bit." She sighed again, running a hand through her hair, and snapped her gaze up to his. He was staring at her, almost as if in a daze, and she shifted on her feet. "Would you say something?"

Something in him clicked then, and suddenly his face broke out into the most vibrant grin she'd ever seen. She barely had a second to react before he wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her to him, settling her across his lap as he captured her lips with his own.

She moaned softly against the feel of his lips moving with hers, his hand tangling in her hair. Relief washed through her, Caroline's reassurance that she had nothing to worry about ringing in her head.

Stefan pulled away from her, pushing her hair out of her face with one hand while the other gently covered her stomach, her own hand slowly raising to cover his own. "We're pregnant."

She nodded, tears pricking her eyes again. "You're not mad?"

He laughed. "Rebekah, why the hell would I be mad?"

She shrugged. "We talked about it. We said we would wait, at least a few year until we were more settled in. You said you had a plan, and I know you like those. You like having things planned out. You're not the kind of person who likes surprises or anything unexpected. I mean, bloody hell, I've never once seen you completely out of your element."

He was smiling, shaking his head. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers. "That's because you've never seen me when I'm not in love with you," he said softly, caressing her cheek with his hand as he gazed into her eyes. "You're the reason I'm so in control, Bex. You give me balance. You keep me calm. You do everything that makes me the in control guy I am." He watched her smile under his praise, and he grinned, kissing her again. "I will face any surprise or any curveball that gets thrown our way as long as you're by my side to keep me grounded."

Rebekah laughed softly, shaking her head, and reached up to cup the back of his head with her hands. "I love you," she murmured against his lips, pressing herself against him.

"I love you, too," Stefan whispered, pressing his hand against her stomach again. "Both of you."

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Caroline was curled up in her bed with Bonnie when Stefan made his way into her room that night. He had to smile when both girls looked up at him as he entered, taking notice that Bonnie had apparently borrowed a pair of Caroline's sleepwear, given that her cocktail dress was strewn across the arm chair across the room.

Caroline was buried beneath the covers, her face a red splotchy mess from crying, he assumed, but as a small smile suddenly appeared on her face, he was reminded that Caroline Forbes was beautiful even as she smiled through her tears.

He shut the door as he came further inside, his arms laden with various junk foods and sodas, a pillow tucked under his arm. "Night before the wedding," he said, catching their confused looks. "Rebekah and I aren't allowed to see each other before tomorrow. So I figured…the three of us could slumber it tonight."

Bonnie grinned, nodding, wrapping her arm around Caroline's shoulders as she sat up. "Yeah, just like old times, when we were kids."

Caroline smiled as Stefan tossed his array of feel-good food into the center of the bed before crawling up next to her, resting his back against the headboard as he too stretched an arm around her shoulders.

She laughed, nodding, fighting back the tears she could feel hovering just below the surface. She reached out, taking each of their hands in one of her own, and brought them to her lap, snuggling further down into the blankets as they both pressed themselves closer.

Despite the ache in her heart for another set of arms—a set that could make her feel safe, no matter how dark her nightmares might be—Caroline felt herself relax against the embrace of her two friends.

She could breathe again.

And she knew she could face the day ahead.

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**Wow…yeah. **

**So next chapter is the wedding!**

**Leave me some feedback in the reviews!**

**Check me out on Tumblr: klarolineepiclove. Follow the madness, if you so choose!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Rescue Me**

**Chapter 19**

**A.N. Thanks to everyone for the great response last chapter! I'm so glad you all enjoyed Caroline's showdown with Esther-a particular favorite of mine to write-and, of course, Kennett. Because you just can't have enough Kennett. Ever.**

**So, originally this chapter was going to extend into the wedding and the reception, and then the epilogue would follow, but really it just took on a mind of its own, so I decided to split it up. So on the plus side, I get to hurl out another chapter before this story comes to a close-excuse me while I hyperventilate into a paper bag, because I am so not ready yet.**

**There's not a lot of direct Klaroline interaction this chapter, but I promise it will come next one.**

**Now that this unnecessarily long author's note is over, continue on.**

**Thank you to Meha, Becky, and Miranda for all their help and enthusiasm for this story. They're pretty much the shit, in case you didn't already know.**

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Stefan could hear the muffled sound of water running as he slowly awoke, streams of sunlight peeking through the blinds warming his face. He sighed, shifting his head on the pillow, his brow crinkling when he caught the sweet aroma of fresh coffee near his vicinity. Cracking open his eyes, he spotted Bonnie sitting against a mound of pillows, raising a steaming mug of coffee to her lips while holding another in her hand.

"Morning," she smiled, holding out the extra mug to him as he pulled himself into a sitting position.

He returned her smile, settling back against the headboard as he reached for the coffee. His gaze traveled from the empty spot between them, where Caroline had drifted off to sleep sandwiched between them, to the closed bathroom door across the room.

"She's been up for a couple hours," Bonnie said, watching the concern spread across Stefan's face.

"How is she?"

Bonnie shrugged, taking a small sip of her coffee before cradling it in her hands. "She's Caroline," she smiled. "She's persevering. I don't think she's really giving herself the time to think about anything other than the wedding today." She watched him nod, bringing the steaming mug of coffee to his lips and humming contentedly when the hot liquid passed his lips. "She took a call from her mom a few minutes ago. Apparently news of Tyler's arrest hit the airwaves late last night, but she's managing to keep the details under wraps. At least until after the weekend is over."

Stefan looked at her. "Is that all Liz said?" He found it hard to believe that after such a reveal like last night, the woman wouldn't want to set things straight with her daughter.

"I think it's all she could manage. I could tell from Caroline's end that Liz is still having a tough time with it all. I mean, it's a lot to take in." She sighed, looking at Stefan as he stared down into his mug. She shook her head, her gaze traveling to the bathroom door. "I hate Tyler for this. For doing this to her. I mean, how could he just..."

Stefan nodded. "I know," he said quietly, sighing. "Tyler ruined a lot of lives that night. But...no matter how angry I am at him...I knew, Bonnie. I knew and I didn't say anything. I'm no better than him."

"You're right," Bonnie said, raising her eyebrows when he looked over at her guiltily. "Come on, I'm not going to baby you. Stefan, this could have ruined her life. And it _did_, for five years. I love Caroline, but she made a stupid decision. And as a friend? As someone who loves her? You should have stepped up if you knew she wasn't going to put herself before everyone else."

Stefan stared down into his coffee, the rich dark liquid sloshing against the sides of the mug as he gently swished it in his hands. He knew the words Bonnie were speaking were true. He'd found himself asking the same questions over the years. If he loved Caroline so much, how he could simply go along with her plan. How he could watch everything around her crumble, all because of her deluded love of Tyler.

"You all made a bad decision. Granted, Tyler's was based on purely selfish reasons while Caroline did it out of love and thinking-foolishly-that it was the best thing for everyone. And you...you were respecting her choice. And in any other situation, that would have been so great...but in a way you damned her, Stefan. I know you did it because you love her. But it was still a bad, stupid decision." She smiled softly then, shrugging a shoulder. "But you're not bad, stupid people. You're Stefan and Caroline, two of the best people I've ever known. And I still love you both, just as much as I always have."

Stefan felt his lips tugging up into a smile, and he lifted his head, sliding his gaze over to her, nodding. "Always the voice of reason, Bonnie Bennett."

She grinned. "Someone has to keep you idiots in line."

They'd been so engrossed in their conversation-or, more accurately, Stefan's reprimand-that they hadn't noticed the water to the shower cutting off until the bathroom door flew open. They both jumped and turned, watching as Caroline waltzed into the bedroom in a cloud of steam, her wet hair pinned back on top of her head with a black hair clip, a knee length purple bathrobe cinched tightly around her waist.

She halted in her steps, her eyes widening when she caught sight of the two of them, and they visibly flinched back. She raised her hands, pointing at them both, as she strode to the edge of the bed. "What are you doing?" she demanded, pinning Stefan in her sights. "Why are you still in bed? Do you realize you are getting married in less than four hours? Four hours, Stefan! Do you realize everything we have to get done in four hours? And Bonnie?" she shifted her gaze to the dark haired girl, whose amused smile at Stefan's discomfort quickly slipped from her face when she found herself under the same assault. "You still have to go home and change, unless you're planning on doing some formal twist of the Walk of Shame and showing up at the wedding in your dress from last night."

Bonnie and Stefan exchanged a glance, both rolling their eyes and fighting smiles.

Caroline huffed, stomping her foot. "Seriously? Get up! We are in a time crunch here! Move it!" She pointed at Stefan as she turned on her heel. "Five minutes, Salvatore." And with that, she disappeared back into the bathroom, a blur of purple fleece and blonde curls.

Bonnie smiled, bumping her shoulder against Stefan's. "She's baaack."

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Rebekah sighed as she made her way down the hallway, her hand touching her hair haphazardly. For all of her uncouthness and brash, Katherine truly was a miracle worker with a curling iron. She could feel the perfectly coifed curls bouncing against her shoulders with every step she took, an intricate knot of braids pulling the hair away from her face.

She couldn't help the smile that was on her face as she made her way down the hallway, one hand coming to rest absentmindedly against her stomach.

She'd never imagined she would be so content. That her life could feel so put together.

Her family was together again. She was set to marry the man she could only ever dream of. She was having a baby, and was finding a friend in the girl she never imagined she could be friends with. She was happy, she realized with a small sigh. She was indescribably happy.

Rounding the corner, her steps slowed when she heard movement behind Klaus' partially opened bedroom door. She frowned, her hand falling away from her stomach. She had been under the impression that her brothers were all away helping set up for the ceremony. She knew he wasn't in there with Caroline, given that the blonde was off with Stefan and getting ready herself.

She stopped just outside the door, listening to the shuffling of feet, and reached out, slowly pushing open the door. Her euphoric mood from moments ago melted away as she watched her brother move about the room, an duffel bag open on the bed with various items of clothing spilling out of it.

She could feel her heart plummet in her chest, an almost icy panic welling in her throat. He was leaving? She had just got him back. They were just starting over. They were just becoming brother and sister again.

"What are you doing?" she demanded quietly, taking a silent step over the threshold.

Rebekah watched as her brother's shoulders straightened, his movements ceasing, hands frozen inside the duffel bag as he packed his life away. His head was bowed, an almost resigned sigh leaving him, and she couldn't stop the flash of anger that coursed through her then.

"Nik, what are you doing?" she asked again, stepping further into the room.

Klaus sighed again, his head slowly turning to look at her over his shoulder. His gaze softened when he took her in-her elegant curls and braids, fingernails painted a pale pink, face devoid of makeup, making it seem as if she were still the little blonde sister he'd left behind all those years ago. A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. "Well, aren't you a picture," he said softly.

Rebekah shook off his compliment, ignoring the affectionate look in his eye that she'd so greatly missed during his absence. She came towards him, her gaze fixed on the nearly packed bed sitting on his bed, and a quiet, indignant scoff left her lips. "Are you leaving?"

Pressing his lips into a thin, hard line, her brother shook his head, moving passed her and striding towards the dresser against the wall. The drawers squeaked as he forced them open, his hands making quick work piling the neatly folded shirts into his arms. "Don't make this difficult, Bekah," he scolded quietly.

"Me?" she laughed harshly, watching him turn towards her. "I'm making this difficult? Me? When you're the one who's packing his bag, apparently determined to slip away unbeknownst to anyone? And I'm the one making this difficult?"

Klaus remained silent, his gaze riveted on everywhere but his sister's tormented face. The clothes in his arms, the floorboards at his feet, the bed sheets that lie in disarray beneath his packed bag-any sight was better than the look of devastation that marred Rebekah's face.

He pushed passed her, pulling the bag to him and shoving the clothes inside, his movements quick and jerky. He wanted to get this over with. He didn't want to draw it out. He wanted to forget about this little town, and everyone in it. He wanted to forget about Caroline Forbes and her light and laughter.

He wanted to forget how she'd somehow managed to bring him back from his world of darkness, if even just for a moment.

Rebekah's vision blurred as she stared at him, and she realized that tears had begun to well in her eyes. She swiped at her cheeks angrily, suddenly not giving a damn that her rough movements were dislodging the masterpiece Katherine had spent all morning creating atop of her head.

"Were you even going to say goodbye?" she demanded. "Were you even going to offer us some half-assed explanation, or were you just going to disappear when our backs were turned, like you did last time?"

Klaus flinched, a barrage of unwanted memories flashing through his mind's eye at her accusation, and he fought off the feeling of guilt that always came with the recollection of his departure after his 18th birthday, sneaking away in the dead of night with nothing but an apology letter to his younger siblings and a promise to Mikael that he would stay away.

He shook off the long forgotten memories, raising his gaze to meet Rebekah's icy pools that bore into him, and he tilted his head. "Rebekah..."

"I'm getting married today," she cried, throwing her arms out at her sides as she stormed up to him, blonde ringlets bouncing along her shoulders. "Our family is all together for the first time in nearly a decade. We are finally finding our footing again, together, and you're just leaving? Without a word?"

"This family survived once without me, it can do so again," he argued quietly.

"How would you know? You don't know a thing about this family anymore, Nik!" The tears were freely coursing down her cheeks now, stinging her eyes and clouding her vision. "I mourned you, do you realize that? My heart broke thinking I'd never see you again."

Klaus clenched his jaw, his hands curling into fists at his sides.

"Waking up that morning to find you gone, having to field question after question from Henrik. Having to explain to him where you'd gone, and why you left. Having to see the look on his face when he asked if it was because of him. Do you even understand how broken our family was after you left?"

She stared at him where he stood, his shoulders straight and narrow, jaw clenched, an almost passive look on his face as he returned her gaze. There was barely a flicker of emotion in his eyes-barely a hint that he registered her words at all. She realized then that he'd cut himself off from them long ago. He'd stopped assuming he was a member of their family the day he walked out the door.

That realization broke her soul almost as much as the realization that there was nothing she could say to make him stay now. She could scream, or cry, or beg, and he would still be stubborn and resentful; he'd still be broken and hurt, and he'd still walk away, because for some reason he thought that was his only option.

"You don't even care," she sobbed, lifting a hand to her forehead as she turned to the side. She shook her head, using the back of her hand to wipe away the tear stains that streaked her face. "You can't just leave, Nik. You can't do it again."

She heard him sigh, followed by the sound of a zipper being closed, and she turned to see his back towards her again, one hand braced on the bed and the other holding tightly to the strap of his duffel bag. She shook her head, another sob escaping her lips.

"What about our family, Nik? What about Henrik? What about Caroline, do you just plan to leave her behind as well?"

His spine straightened at the mention of Caroline, and Rebekah saw his knuckles go white against the duffel strap. She watched his shoulders rise and fall as he breathed deep, saw the profile of his face as his eyes clenched tightly shut, his lips pressed into a thin line. He turned to her, his face impassive, a mask of complete indifference, though she could see in his eyes the warring emotions he was fighting so hard to hide.

"Caroline means nothing to me."

Rebekah's jaw dropped at the quiet conviction she heard in his voice. He said it so cooly and with such detachment. The only contradiction was his eyes-the one feature he possessed that he could never seem to fully control. His eyes would speak volumes to her during their childhood. They would showcase his pride, his disappointment, his pain...

A pain that was clearly evident in his deep blue pools.

"She means more to you than you're willing to admit, Niklaus," she spat at him, suddenly feeling angry on Caroline's behalf. She and Caroline weren't the best bosom companions at the moment, but she hoped they were at least on their way, and while Klaus was her brother and she loved him deeply, she realized that Caroline didn't deserve the apparent disregard he was trying to maintain towards her. The events of last night certainly proved that.

She knew Klaus was lying. She'd seen the look of fierce protectiveness that had clouded his face as he stood against Tyler Lockwood. The way his body would gravitate around Caroline, blocking her shaking form from the younger man's view. The way his eyes had never left her when her friend had led her shaking from the room, quiet and silently sobbing. The way his eyes had followed her long after they'd disappeared up the stairs, regret and unspoken emotion clouding his face.

"She cares about you, don't you see that?" His eyes darted to the side at her words, his brow furrowing, and she scoffed again, shaking her head. "Why are you so convinced that you are incapable of this, Nik? That you don't deserve this?"

His eyes snapped back to her at that, and his jaw tightened.

She nodded, a knowing smile crossing her face. "That's what it comes down to isn't it? You thinking you shouldn't have it, or don't want it, or whatever bloody else flows through your head when anyone even tries to care about you. You just sabotage. You ruin every chance at happiness you have, no matter who you hurt in the process."

Something snapped in him then, his eyes narrowing as his lips turned into a sneer. "And what happiness would that be, little sister? What, pray tell, is happiness to you? Life in a small town? A marriage to some titleless bloke whose only accomplishment is making you see those twinkling little stars in your eyes?" He watched her face fall, his own head tilting to the side as he made a mocking clicking sound with his tongue.

"Don't be so predictable, Bekah. It's what you do, isn't it? Always needing that strapping young man by your side to make you feel like life is worth living? Just how often have you found this 'happiness' you're lecturing me on, and just how fleeting did it turn out to be? Hmm? Alexander, was his name, wasn't it? During your summer in Italy. And Galen something or other, during your backpacking trek across Europe. Not to mention the countless others in between, all of whom you claimed to find such 'happiness' with. Where are they now, Rebekah? Where is that long sought after happiness you speak so ardently of now?"

He laughed, shaking his head, as his fingers snapped at his sides. "Oh, yes. With Stefan Salvatore. In some God forsaken, nameless town in the middle of nowhere. Yes, happiness is sure to come here, little sister, well done." He laughed. "You continue to hand your heart to any man that shows you even a hint of affection...you think you would have learnt by now."

His bitter, mocking words slapped her across the face as she stood staring at him, angry tears pooling in her eyes. Did he truly see her that way? As nothing more than a stupid, foolish girl who dropped everything on a whim?

"How can you say things like that to me?" she whispered, her head bobbing on her shoulders as she swiped at her tear stained cheeks. "How can you speak as if you know, Nik? You know nothing. You know nothing about me. You left me. It was me, who stood by your side, even after you were gone. Me, who kept your name alive in our home, even when Father did everything he could to make it disappear. It was always me! Not Finn! Not Elijah, not Kol, but _me_! I loved you through everything, and you don't even care."

"You're right, Rebekah, I don't care," he said coldly, taking a step towards her until he was peering down into her anguish filled eyes. "Not about the same foolish notions that you do. And go ahead-ridicule me all you like, up there on your pedestal, with your happy endings and your rose tinted glasses, dear sister. But keep in mind, you do a fine job of sabotaging yourself. You completely lack the ability to see what you're even remotely capable of on your own; what you could do and who you could be without all this fairy tale logic and notions of love holding you back." He smirked down at her. "You speak of my fear...when you cling to yours like a child clings to their blanket or toy. Quite a pair, you and I...wouldn't you say?"

Rebekah's heart was clenching in her chest, an unknowable pain spreading into the deepest recesses of her soul. She could feel his disdain in that moment, with his eyes boring into her own, and his cruel, taunting smile on his face. She couldn't fathom how her brother had become so...lost.

How such a dark bitterness and resentment had begun to take hold of him. She couldn't comprehend how the brother she loved so dearly-the one she had always known would stand by her to the death, if necessary, to keep her safe and loved-could be speaking so coldly to her now.

She hated him in that moment. She hated that he could make her doubt herself; make her doubt Stefan. That he could so callously disregard her own happiness, simply to assuage his own insecurities. He hurt her, purely to keep himself from being hurt.

He mocked her. Thought her foolish and stupid. All for believing in something she knew to be true.

_To hell with him_, she thought bitterly. She swallowed the sob that was threatening to tear its way up her throat, and forced a cool, bitter smile onto her own face.

"Fine," she relented, throwing her arms out at her sides. "Go ahead. Laugh. Laugh at the girl who loved too easily. Laugh at me, throwing my life away on such a 'foolish' notion. But I'd rather live my life than yours, Nik. No one will ever sit around a table telling stories about a man who couldn't love."

There was a flash of pain across his face-a brief, momentary glance in which she saw the brother who held her hand through her first sprained ankle and let her wear his oversized sweatshirt to a slumber party so she could weave a tale of a forbidden romance, that her parents disapproved of, with a vagabond that swore he'd wait for her and love her no matter what kept them apart.

But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced with the emotionless mask that glared down at her once more.

Rebekah raised her chin, returning a glare of her own. "Go ahead. Run, you coward," she spit out, no longer caring if her words cut deep, or at all. "Let your spite be the death of you. See if I care."

She turned her back on him, tearing across the room and through the door, hearing a quiet, broken sigh escaping him as she escaped. She sped down the hall, her lips quivering uncontrollably, her shoulders suddenly shaking with every unreleased sob she had held inside.

She raced passed Caroline's room, where she could hear Stefan's familiar laughter mixing with Caroline's quiet giggle. A new pain resonated through her-a pain she knew was just as much for Caroline as it was for her.

She rounded the corner, shouldering open the door to the bedroom she shared with Stefan-her soon-to-be husband and father of her child, who vowed to love and cherish her for the rest of their lives; who she knew, beyond a doubt, would spend an eternity making her happy and keeping her safe if given the opportunity-and let the door slam closed behind her, her back coming to rest against it as she sobbed loudly.

Her arms wrapped themselves protectively around her stomach as her body slowly slid its way to the floor.

**0000000000**

***Deep breath***

**Okay...I'm just gonna go curl into a ball in the corner and cry my heart out, because it is thoroughly broken.**

**Until next chapter, my lovelies.**

**Hit me up at Tumblr: klarolineepiclove**


	20. Chapter 20

**Rescue Me**

**Chapter 20**

**A.N. Okaaaay. So this chapter was getting way too long, and way too much was happening. Sooooo I decided to split it up, which means Rescue Me will last for at least one more chapter before the epilogue! Yay! **

**Anywho, thanks to everyone for their reviews and messages on this story. I know I don't really keep to a steady updating schedule-because I am lazy, and get distracted all to easily-so knowing you all are still sticking by it means the world.**

**I apologize in advance for the lack of Klaroline this chapter. But I promise to make it up next one.**

**Thanks as always to Meha, Miranda, and Becky, for dealing with my bouts of crazy and inability to make decisions.**

**000000000000000**

"Stop fidgeting!"

Caroline sighed for the upteenth time in the last fifteen minutes as she tugged at the black silk bowtie that hung haphazardly from Stefan's neck. He was shifting on his feet again, craning his neck to peer through the window behind them, and she hissed through her teeth, raising her eyebrows and piercing him with a reprimanding glare. "Would you stop?"

Stefan smiled, barking out a quiet laugh. "Sorry."

A smile came unbidden to her face, and Caroline shook her head, folding the thin black fabric over as she tugged it into place. "Look at you. All nervous and bright eyed. You'd think it was a big day or something." Stefan chuckled, and she tilted her head, looking up at him as she twisted the bow tie around his neck into place. "Relax, Stef. Okay? Everything is just as it should be. Your wedding is going to be the most talked about shindig Mystic Falls have seen in a long time. And not just because your Best She-man brings drama with her wherever she goes."

Stefan watched the small smile spread across her face, the flicker of shadows pass through her eyes, and he lowered his chin, catching her gaze with his. "Are you okay?"

It was the first time he had actually voiced the question that day. She'd seen him staring at her from the corner of her eye, his brow furrowed in concern as he watched her pour over her last minute To-Do lists and rush around. She hadn't really given him a chance to ask.

Or maybe she just didn't want to have to answer.

There was a difference in when Bonnie would ask, and when Stefan would. She knew she couldn't lie to Stefan. He always saw right through her. She wouldn't be able to just plaster a smile on her face and laugh it off.

Caroline sighed, shaking her head. "I'm fine, Stefan," she insisted softly, smoothing her hands down the front of his black vest and taking a step back, admiring the way the designer tuxedo fit his broad shoulders. "I mean, I feel like my entire world has come crumbling down around me. The nice little fortress I've built for myself over the last few years, but there's also this...relief...that kind of comes with it. I don't have to hide anymore." She shrugged, smiling. "I am okay though. So you can stop staring at me with your serious Salvatore look."

Stefan's eyes narrowed playfully at her teasing reminder. Always so serious, she would say back in high school. But he knew she was right in that moment. She was okay. She was fighting through it, and accepting the fact that her world was changing completely with the outing of their lie.

"What about Klaus?"

There was flinch behind her mask at the mention of his name. A short millisecond when her brave smile faltered, and sadness weighed heavy in her eyes. A millisecond when her breath stopped, and her stance wavered.

A millisecond was all it took for Stefan to see just how hard Caroline had fallen.

Her blue eyes blinked, extinguishing the brief glance of vulnerability, and then she was turning away, reaching for his folded jacket that was draped across the chair. "What about him?"

And now she was dodging, in typical Caroline fashion.

"Have you talked to him?" he asked, slipping his hands into the pockets of his trousers as he watched her fingers smooth out a nonexistent wrinkle in the sleeve of his jacket. Her lips parted, revealing her gritted teeth, and his view of her profile let him see the way her eyes closed briefly as she took a calming breath.

She shook her head after a moment. "Nope," she said, turning back to him with his jacket draped across her arms. "Not since our disastrous blowout the other day. And I honestly can't blame him. If someone had told me the horrible things I said to him, I'd hate me too." She sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "Anyway, Klaus and I are not important today. Today is about you and Rebekah, and this wonderful thing you two are about to do. So, there will be no more talk about Tyler or Klaus or anything else, unless it somehow involves you, Rebekah, or little Caroline Jr." She laughed when Stefan grinned-a smile that seemed to stretch across his whole face at the mention of his impending fatherhood-and she wondered how Rebekah could ever doubt his happiness at their unexpected pregnancy.

She smiled as she held out his jacket, standing on her tiptoes to straighten the collar as he slipped his arms through the sleeves. Her hands brushed across his shoulder, her lips turning up into a satisfied smile, before she took a step back, cocking her head when he turned back around. "Well, well, Mr. Salvatore. Aren't you just the dashing groom?"

And it was true: Stefan did cut quite the dapper picture in his black two button tuxedo. The crisp white dress shirt underneath, the gold plated cufflinks on his sleeves that once belonged to his father. He could have waltzed straight off the cover of GQ Magazine, and no one would know the difference.

The groom smiled, bending at the waist as he twirled a hand in front of him. "Well, thank you, Miss Forbes. I must confess, you look quite exquisite yourself."

Much to her relief, Stefan hadn't forced her to wear the identical tuxedos Alaric and Damon would be wearing that day. Not that she would have minded-she'd always secretly wanted to rock a tux ala-Diane Keaton. But she had to admit that she felt much more in her element in the black lace dress. The boned bodice hugged her torso beneath the strapless sweetheart neckline, and the A-line skirt was pleated in front and back, falling around her calves gracefully. The navy sash-her ode to the bridemaids' colors-was tied into a bow at her side. A pair of black heels adorned her feet, and the small diamond encrusted charm bracelet that Stefan had given her the day they graduated was clasped around her wrist. Her long blonde curls were twisted back into a knot at the base of her neck.

"Well," she grinned. "Next to your bride-to-be, we are sure to be the best looking bastards there."

Stefan nodded in agreement, reaching out and taking her hand in his, lifting her arm over her head and smiling as she twirled on her heel, giggling.

He would forever be in awe of Caroline Forbes, and her uncanny ability to bounce back from whatever life threw at her.

A quiet knock made the pair stop their friendly frolic, and they turned towards the opening door in time to see Jeremy Gilbert hesitantly poke his head inside.

Caroline's fingers unconsciously tightened around Stefan's as he lowered her arm. Her brief euphoria from moments ago was shattered when she remembered that her secret was out. She'd spent nearly half a decade lying to the people she'd known her whole life, and she was suddenly aware that she had absolutely no idea how they would be reacting.

Jeremy slipped his way into the room, a large expensive looking camera hanging from a strap around his neck, and he offered up a half-hearted smile as he pointed towards the hallway behind him. "Sorry to interrupt, Stefan, but I think Ric is looking for you."

Stefan nodded. "Yeah, sure," he said quietly, letting Caroline's hand drop back to her side and casting her a sidelong glance. Her lower lip was captured between her teeth, her fingers tangling themselves into the fabric at her hips. He moved to place his hand at the small of her back, hoping to lead her away from her discomfort under Jeremy's gaze, but the younger man cleared his throat, and Stefan returned his gaze to him.

"Actually, uh...Caroline, could I talk to you?"

Caroline's gaze snapped up at his quiet question. Jeremy was looking at her, his dark brown eyes full of conflict, his fingers clenching around the strap of his camera as he shifted on his feet. She could feel Stefan's hand at her back, and she turned her head to see his questioning gaze. She stepped away from, nodding.

"Go find Alaric. I'll be there in a minute," she assured him, smiling softly.

Stefan's gaze traveled between her and Jeremy, a hesitant look in his eye, and then he returned her nod, slipping his hands into the pockets of his pressed pants, and made his way across the room. He cast a glance over his shoulder once more before he slipped through the door, the paneled oak shutting with a quiet click behind him.

The silence that followed made Caroline shift, her fingers lacing together in front of her as she held Jeremy's gaze. She couldn't quite pinpoint the emotion that was on the young Gilbert's face. It was almost a mix of denial, regret, and relief. His brown hair was gelled back, away from his clean-shaven face, and she was reminded of the young boy that would sit on the couch and roll his eyes every time she, Bonnie and Elena would dominate the television with their romcom movie marathons.

His tall frame was clothed in a dark brown suit, a tie hanging crookedly from around his neck, almost as if he'd spent a few minutes fussing with it nervously. She couldn't help the small, fond smile that appeared on her face with the image, and it softened when his brown eyes flicked back to hers.

"You clean up well, Jeremy," she said.

Jeremy's lips twitched, his head ducking as a quiet chuckle escaped his lips. "Yeah, well, I feel like a tool," he said, shaking his head. "You look nice, too." He looked at her, the smile slipping from his face slowly, and he sighed. "I went to see Tyler last night. After I heard about him getting arrested. I needed to talk to him, you know? Hear it from him."

Jeremy could see it so clearly in his head. He'd walked in, his eyes taking in the sight of Tyler Lockwood, his best friend-the man he'd come to call a brother; who'd stood by his side and helped him mourn the family he'd lost, even if it had been from a distance once he'd gone to live with Jenna. Tyler was sitting on the steel bench behind the iron bars, his head in his hands, hair in disarray from hours of running his fingers through it. His suit jacket lay forgotten on the floor at his feet, his white button up shirt wrinkled and untucked.

He'd looked up when he heard footsteps, and Jeremy had watched as an array of emotions passed his face: anger, fear, regret, until a mask of near nonchalance took over, and he rose to his feet, striding the small distance to the cell's bars and smiling at him through them.

He only asked one question of his friend. A soft spoken, broken question, that nearly tore him apart inside. _"Why did you do it?"_

Tyler had started laughing then, the sound oddly detached as it tore its way through his throat. He'd told him this was insanity-that he'd done nothing wrong. That Caroline Forbes had finally lost it. That her life had fallen apart so much and she was green with jealousy when she realized how put together his own was. "She did it to get back at me, Jer," he'd stated, his brown eyes wide and frantic as they stared at him. "She made it all up."

He said it again and again, and Jeremy had wanted to take his word for it. He'd wanted to believe that he hadn't spent the last five years hating the wrong person. He wanted to believe that his best friend hadn't spent half a decade lying to him; toasting to the memory of his sister and parents on the anniversary of their death, lamenting over the fact that he could do nothing to stop the accident that night.

He'd wanted with everything in him to believe Tyler, and just go back to living life the way he had been.

But he couldn't. He couldn't believe it. Because the manic look in his friend's eyes, the desperation in his voice, the sheer acidity and rage that poured off his tongue when he mentioned Caroline's name.

It was all too much for him.

And he'd realized in that moment, standing in a cold, damp jail cell, just how much of a monster his best friend had turned out to be.

Jeremy sighed, lifting his chin to meet Caroline's inquisitive gaze. "I can't tell you how sorry I am, Caroline," he said. "For how I've treated you. For...the things I've said."

Caroline shook her head, taking a step towards him. "Jeremy, it's okay."

"No, it isn't," he smiled, running a hand through his hair. "None of this is okay. What Tyler made you do. This horrible cloud of guilt you've been carrying with you. Just taking all the stares and whispers and shit that everyone in this town has been throwing at you for years. None of it is okay, Caroline. You didn't deserve any of it.

"Jeremy...I made a decision that night. A stupid, stupid decision...but it was still my choice."

"It was Tyler's choice, too," Jeremy said, his voice soft. "He made the decision to get behind that car, despite the fact you told him not to. He made the decision to put himself first, and get you to take the fall. He made the decision to ruin everyone's life but his own."

His voice cracked as he finished his sentence, and he took a step back, clearing his throat and hastily swiping at moisture he felt welling behind his eyes.

He took a deep breath, looking at Caroline again, and noticed a similar expression on her own face. He shook his head slightly, allowing a small smile to take residence on his face.

"I loved my parents. And I loved Elena. But I loved you too." He laughed. "You were always around when I was a kid. You were like another sister, but one who didn't nag me as much as Elena did. You were family too, Caroline. Which is why it hurt so much, thinking you took them away from me. They never would have wanted me to treat you like I did. They never would have..." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Caroline. I'm so...very sorry."

Caroline had lost count over the years of how often she'd imagined something like this happening. To have someone say they were sorry for disowning her. For all the insults and the anger and the hatred she'd endured. To have someone acknowledge how much her life had been shattered that night too.

But she never imagined it would be from Jeremy Gilbert. She never wanted it to be from Jeremy Gilbert. Jeremy, who had lost more that night than she ever would. Jeremy, who she had watched grow from an awkward, quiet spoken kid to a rebellious, semi-druggie teenager, and now she was able to see him as a stable, strong, aspiring man he was now.

She felt the smile on her lips as she walked towards him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. She stopped in front of him, catching his eyes with her own, and she reached out, grasping onto his arm and shaking her head. "I'm sorry, too, Jeremy. I can't even tell you how much." She laughed softly. "Jeremy, your parents and Elena would be so proud of you. Of who you grew up to be. You are everything they hoped you'd be. I'm sure of it."

Jeremy laughed, his head ducking as he felt a lone tear slip from the corner of his eye, and he nodded, catching Caroline's free hand in one of his and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Right back at you, Caroline."

Their quiet laughter was interrupted by another knock at the door, and they both turned when Stefan's pale face appeared in the doorway. His eyes were wide, and his hair was tousled, and Caroline could feel the panic creeping up her own spine when her eyes met his.

"Sorry, but um...Care, we have a problem."

00000000000

"What do you mean he's missing?"

There was a dull throb in the back of Caroline's head as she stood with Alaric in the hallway, one hand perched on her hip and the other cradling her forehead as she paced back and forth.

"No one has seen him since he took off late last night," Alaric said, shifting his hands in his pockets as he fought to not flinch under Caroline's frantic gaze. "After he heard about Tyler, he went a little crazy and stormed off."

Caroline scoffed, stopping in front of him and throwing her arms up. "What, and nobody thought it would be a good idea to stop him?"

Alaric took a step back, the fiery aggravation in her eyes making him wince. "To be totally honest, I don't think anybody was really in the right frame of mind last night to do much of anything, Caroline. It was a pretty big bombshell." She narrowed her eyes at him, and he ducked his head, clearing his throat. "Buuuut, you obviously already know that."

"Ugh, this is a disaster! What are we supposed to do? Has anyone checked the Grill or any of the other hole in the wall bars Damon frequents?"

"Everything is basically shut down for the wedding," Alaric explained, rubbing a hand across his forehead as he sighed. "Stefan's trying to get ahold of him now, and the few friends he actually has left to see if anyone has seen him."

As if on cue, Stefan hurried down the hallway towards them, a cellphone in his hand and a look of relief on his face. "Damon's fine," he said, slipping the phone into his pocket as he stopped next to Alaric.

"Where is he?" Caroline asked.

"Currently passed out on the couch of his friend Garrett. Damon apparently called him from some bar across town and Garrett took him back to his place. He said he was pretty trashed, and wasn't making a lot of sense, but he's since put the pieces together. But, it doesn't look like he's going to be making it to the wedding."

There was a sad resignation in Stefan's voice as he spoke, almost as if he was realizing his bond with his brother may in fact be unsalvageable.

The notion broke Caroline's heart. She knew how much Damon meant to Stefan, even after everything that had happened between his brother and her. They'd begun to mend their relationship right before Elena died, and even afterwards, through every rivet of Damon's downward spiral, she knew Stefan still had hope for his brother. He still wanted to believe that they could still be what they had been once before.

But she also knew that Damon was broken too. Just as much as she was or Klaus or Stefan, or anyone else. He needed a push to get him back on the right track, and as panicked and stressed as she was with the realization that they were now short one groomsman, she could only hope that maybe this was it.

Caroline sighed, nodding her head as she rubbed the back of her neck, her charm bracelet tickling the sensitive skin of her shoulders as she shifted. "Okay. Well, the main thing is that he's okay. Okay? He's not lying a ditch somewhere or behind the wheel of a car. He's safe and he has someone to keep an eye on him. But now we come to the other problem, which is that cousin Rose is going to be walking down the aisle by herself if we don't find someone to step in."

Alaric laughed. "It's not like there are alternates, Caroline." He wagged his finger between the two of them, bobbing his head in Caroline's direction. "You and I are pretty much his only friends. There aren't a lot of options."

"You know, it's my wedding day, you think you can not be such a dick right now?" Stefan said, glaring defensively at his law partner in annoyance.

"Okay, seriously, now is not the time," Caroline snapped, stomping her foot slightly as she tilted her head back, a groan leaving her lips. "We just have to find someone that can stand in. Damon was groomsman number three, it's not like he had a speech or anything. Any idiot can pull it off..."

Her words trailed off as she caught sight of the figure making his way down the hall, a jaunty whistle on his lips and his hands stuffed into the pockets of his pants. Kol's ever present smirk was on his face, and it merely widened when he caught sight of the trio.

Caroline cocked her jaw in thought as the younger Mikaelson brother made his way over to them. This could work.

"Well, this is quite the little pow wow," he crooned, bumping his shoulder against Caroline's as he stopped at her side. "Don't tell me another life changing secret has revealed itself? You're all going to completely discredit every piss poor thing I've said about this dull little down."

His voice was teasing, but his brown eyes held a look of concern as they looked at Caroline, and she smiled reassuringly at him, giving him a small nod as she lightly bumped his shoulder in return.

Across from her, Alaric nodded, pursing his lips as his thoughts reached the point Caroline's had moments ago. "Enter idiot," he said, looking over at Stefan to see the man eyeing Kol carefully, a contemplative look on his face.

Kol scoffed, holding out a hand in offense as he glared at Alaric. "Rude, mate," he said. "You don't hear me insulting you or your Safari Sam fashion sense, do you?"

Caroline shook her head, grasping onto Kol's arm and pulling him to face her. "No, he didn't mean it like that," she said. "Look, Kol, we need a favor."

"I'm not too keen on favors, darling," he winced, taking a step back. "They rarely get repaid, and when they do, they are hardly beneficial to me."

Stefan stepped towards him as Caroline shook her head, a pleading look in her eyes. "Damon is MIA. He's not going to be here in time for the ceremony, or at all possibly, which means we are down one groomsman," he said, raising his eyebrows as he met his gaze. He let the inference of his words settle in, watching as a disbelieving smirk crossed Kol's face as he laughed.

"You're joking," he said, shaking his head. "And what, you want me to step in? Prance around in front of an entire town of dull strangers in this monkey suit, just so one of my less than savory female relatives don't have to walk shamefully down the aisle by themselves?" He frowned, thinking. "Which one would it be?"

"Rose," Caroline and Stefan answered together, drawing a groan from Kol.

"Rose Marie! See, that makes me want to do it even less. The git is a drag in all sense of the word. All propriety and family name and morals." He shuddered. "Nope, you're on your own, mate. I won't be lassoed in."

He moved to walk away, but Caroline groaned, jutting her hand out and grasping onto his wrist, pulling him back a step. "No, Kol, come on, please! You don't even have to do anything. All you have to do is stand there and look pretty, and not trip Rose when you walk her back down the aisle. You don't even have to be in the pictures if you don't want to, but the ceremony will be completely off key if you don't do this. So please, _please_, do it for me?"

Kol stared down at Caroline's pleading blue eyes, her eyebrows bunched together as she looked up at him. Her grip was iron tight around his wrist, her fingers digging into the skin beneath his suit jacket, and while he knew there would be no fingerprints left behind, the desperation in her touch sent a wave of resignation through him.

He sighed. He never could say no to a pretty face.

Though the thought of pretty faces stopped the sigh on his lips, and a realization overtook him. He grinned suddenly, watching the expression of wariness come over Caroline's once pleading gaze, and shrugged.

"For you, darling Caroline," he sang, pulling his wrist from her grasp and crossing his arms over his chest, rocking back on his heels. "We may just be able to come to a favorable arrangement."

00000000000

The capacious backyard of the Salvatore Boarding House had been transformed into a fairytale venue, in Caroline's opinion.

Paper lanterns dangled from the trees, the votive candles burning within casting soft shadows against the white paper. Pale, white lights draped across the branches and through the leaves, twinkling in the midafternoon light as the groom's wedding party slowly made their way to the gazebo at the front of the ceremony.

The sea of blue and white sparkled before them as the rows and rows of guests smiled up at them, the usual wedding euphoria setting in.

She could see the various familiar faces dispersed through the crowd. Matt Donovan sat in one of the middle rows, with Bonnie next to him, their faces lowered close together as they conversed quietly, though Bonnie sent her a quick smile and a wave when their eyes met as Caroline settled into her place next to Stefan.

Though there weren't designated sides for Bride and Groom, the Mikaelson family sat on the side nearest where Rebekah and her bridesmaids would be standing, each member as perfectly polished and coifed as the next. Elijah and Finn sat the triplets between them, their plan of keeping the three small children in line during the ceremony no doubt. Henrik was fidgeting in his seat just in front of them, his dark blue suit jacket twisting on his shoulders as he tugged and fussed with his collar, every ounce the teenage boy he was. Esther sat proud and tall next to her youngest son, her blonde hair pulled back into a soft French twist, her piercing blue eyes settling in on Caroline with an odd determination in them.

Her mind flashed back to her outburst the other night, where all of her rage and despair over Klaus' tragic childhood had burst forth. She wished she could say she felt sorry for putting the matriarch in her place when it came to her middle son, but she felt no remorse for her words or actions.

No matter how tough or arrogant Niklaus Mikaelson appeared to be, everyone needed someone else fighting for them every now and then.

Caroline broke her stare with Esther, her eyes traveling to the rows behind, and she couldn't help the frown that marred her face when she couldn't see Klaus sitting amongst his brothers. Her eyes traveled further down the rows of seats, flitted from face to face.

He wasn't there. The ceremony was started in seconds, and he wasn't there.

She could feel her heart drop in her chest. She hadn't seen him since last night, when he pulled Tyler away from her. She hadn't spoken to him since she said those hurtful things. Had he left? Had he just packed up and moved on, the way she'd been dreading-but had known deep down-he always would?

"_What, did she break your heart?"_

"_She did. Which is why I haven't bothered with relationships since. I don't get invested, therefore I don't run the risk of it ever happening again."_

Her mind couldn't help but to flash to that night days ago, when she had lied in his arms and listened to him talk about the one girl who had broken his heart and turned him off to love all together. He had told her he didn't bother investing in anything. He didn't do relationships. He didn't care.

But if he didn't care, why did he step between her and Tyler? Why did he fight for her, again and again?

Why did he leave?

Caroline swallowed back the despair she could feel welling inside her when the small orchestra off to the side suddenly started to play, a soft melodic tune that made every head turn towards the back of the makeshift aisle. She shook her head, clearing her throat and plastering a bright smile onto her face as the first of the bridal party began their trek down the aisle of blue and white.

Rose Porter was Katherine's cousin, and while it had been obvious when she arrived yesterday that she wasn't particularly close to Rebekah, the Mikaelson's whole family oath of "Family above all" clearly extended to the more distant relatives as well. Caroline also knew that Rebekah really didn't have many friends in Mystic Falls-or America, for that matter-so when the subject of bridesmaids came up, her female relatives were the most likely choice.

Rose was tall and young, with dark brown hair that was cut in a sharp pixie cut. She exuded confidence in a way Caroline was learning to associate with Katherine's side of the family, and her piercing green eyes were bright and alert, though they held very little interest in the event she was apart of. Her pleasant smile shifted into an aggravated frown when her eyes landed on Kol at the end of the groomsman line, and it was clear that there was no love lost between the two relatives by marriage.

Sage followed quickly after, the skirt of her chiffon and charmeuse dress fluttering around her feet. She looked elegant, with the high rounded neckline and close fitting bodice, a pair of tear drop diamonds sparkling from her ears. Her vibrant red hair was pinned atop her head in a mess of elegant curls, a few tendrils curling around her face. Her smile was wide as she rounded the front of the pews, her fingers curling out from beneath her bouquet to wiggle a wave at her excited children, who all bounced in their seats and laughed as their mother took her place beside the altar.

Katherine, as matron of honor, strode confidently towards them, her long dark curls cascading over her shoulder in waves. The halter top of her dress clung to her curves in a manner that, on anyone else would be deemed inappropriate for this venue, but Katherine was able to carry with grace and superiority. The empire waist cinched directly below her voluptuous bosom, a intricate beaded design stretching across her back. The front of the dress was cut dangerously high, the tanned skin of her lower thighs peeking beneath the free flowing fabric before flaring out behind her. Her glossed lips were turned up in a confident smirk, her eyes dancing towards her husband and sending him a coquettish wink, to which a smile appeared on Elijah's face, and a faint blush covered his cheeks.

Katherine took her place next to Sage, and just as she twirled on her dangerously high heels, the music around them swelled, and the guests rose to their feet, quiet murmurs erupted between them as Rebekah finally appeared.

She was exquisite. That was the only word that came to Caroline's mind as she watched Rebekah gracefully make her way down the aisle.

The seamstress had done wonders on her dress. A small section of material had been added to the back of her dress, leaving plenty of room for it to be laced up with none the wiser to her earlier wardrobe malfunction. Her hair was pulled off her face, intricate braids and curls entwining around her face. A sheer white, lace veil was tucked into the back of her hair, trailing down her back in waves.

Her blue eyes were shining as she moved, never wavering from Stefan's face, her smile radiant on her face.

Looking over at the groom, Caroline spotted a similar expression on Stefan's face. His eyes were drinking her in, trailing from head to toe, taking in every detail, committing it to memory. His face held an incredible amount of wonderment, as if he was struck with the sudden realization that this was it. She was his. He could have been staring at the sun, his face was so amazed.

Caroline stared at them, watching the devotion and love that was so openly displayed between them, and she felt that odd stirring in her chest.

She was envious of her best friend in that moment.

Esther's face was shining with pride as Rebekah took her place next to Stefan, passing her bouquet of roses and Baby's Breath to Katherine who took it with a smile. She turned then, slipping her hands into Stefan's outstretched ones, and smiled up at him, her blue eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Pastor Young smiled as he stepped up to them, his hands clasped in front of him as he glanced between the two of them before turning his gaze out to the crowd before them.

"Welcome," he said, gesturing for everyone to be seated with a nod of his head. "Thank you, everyone, for joining us on this special day. And I say 'special' day, because I'm afraid there is no word in existence that could possibly capture just how wondrous this day is." He pressed his lips together in a smile as he tilted his head in the couple's direction. "Stefan and Rebekah are 'taking the plunge,' as they say." A murmur of laughter echoed through the congregation. "They are choosing to dedicate their lives to each other, in body and in soul. In a bond in which no man can ever break."

Caroline twirled Rebekah's wedding ring against her finger, her fingertips tracing the small row of diamonds that lay encrusted in it. She couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face, watching Stefan gaze into Rebekah's eyes with more love than she could possibly imagine one person possessing for another.

A quiet shuffle of activity at the back of the pews drew her attention, and she glanced over from the corner of her eyes.

Her breath halted in her throat as she watched Klaus quietly slip into an empty seat, blonde curls in disarray atop his head, a midnight black suit clinging to his form. He shifted on the chair, his gaze riveted to the sight before him, an almost sad, bittersweet smile on his face as his eyes landed on his younger sister.

She watched as he sat for a long moment before his eyes slowly slid over to her, their gazes meeting, and she felt the familiar warmth that always came with the the intensity of his gaze. His eyes softened as he took her in, and she could see his shoulders heave with his slow exhale.

Everything faded to the background then. Nothing else mattered in that moment but him. He was here again. He hadn't left. He hadn't disappeared. He was still here.

That said something, didn't it?

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"Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Stefan Salvatore!"

The MC shouted gleefully into the microphone, and a chorus of applause and cat calls erupted around them as Stefan and Rebekah waltzed hand in hand into the reception, identical smiles of unadulterated happiness on their faces.

The makeshift reception hall was just as stunning as the ceremony, sparkling ice sculptures towering high on the main table, flowers and ribbons basking the large area in a sea of blue and white. A marble floor had been brought in, giving the area an elegant feel amidst the outdoor setting. Tables sat clustered on the northern end, each of them facing the long banquet table that would seat the wedding party.

Caroline stood next to Alaric at her seat, a bright smile on her face as she watched Stefan lift Rebekah's arm over her head, spinning her into a twirl as he led her onto the makeshift dance floor. He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips as his arms wrapped around her waist, her own coming up to drape across his shoulders as she pressed against him.

The soft, melodic lull of Elton John wafted through the speakers as they swayed back and forth, both lost in their own euphoria of each other, oblivious to anything and everything around them. They smiled and whispered to each other, cheeks touching and lips grazing.

The ceremony had gone off without a hitch. There was barely a dry eye in the house when Stefan and Rebekah recited their vows, and everyone watched with bated breath as the rings were exchanged. Their first kiss was greeted with jubilant applause, and their first walk down the aisle as man and wife was welcomed with whistles and cheers.

The atmosphere around them now was carefree and festive, a small crowd gathering at the edge of the dance floor to watch the happy couple. Jeremy was hovering amongst the crowd, the camera held up to his face, capturing the moment at every angle he could.

Her eyes were searching the crowd, her breath catching when her gaze locked with his across the room. Klaus was standing next to Henrik, a flute of champagne in his hand, his eyes boring into her own even as his head was turned in his brother's direction.

A tremor shot down her spine at the burning intensity she saw in his gaze. There was so much left unspoken between them, so much they left unsaid. She needed to talk to him. She needed to tell him she was sorry for the awful things she'd said. She needed to tell him that she didn't believe any of it.

She needed to tell him that things had changed.

Setting her glass of champagne just behind her name plate, she slipped from the table, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she maneuvered her way through the crowd. She kept Klaus in her sights, craning her neck to see above the crowds that gathered around the floor.

"Caroline."

Katherine's voice calling to her made her halt her steps, and she turned towards her, forcing a smile on her face to mask her irritation and impatience. The dark haired beauty was standing next to Sage, arms crossed across her bosom, identical looks of amusement on both their faces. Katherine jerked her head, indicating that she wished for Caroline to join them, and she sighed, quickly making her way over to them with eyebrows raised.

"What's up?" she asked. Their attention was focused on something just ahead of them, and she followed their line of sight, her brows furrowing and a small laugh slipping past her lips. "What's going on?"

"We are watching Finn floundering under the attention of a young pretty girl," Katherine mocked, tilting her head, her curls pouring over her shoulder as Sage simply clucked her tongue and shook her head.

Sage's husband was standing at the near the gift table, a tumbler of scotch enclosed in his hand, a near smug smile on his handsome face as he looked at the young woman at his side. Long dark hair was curled around her beaming face, her smile wide and flirtatious as she peered up at him from beneath her lashes.

"Ooooh," Caroline winced, laughing. "That would be Katie. We went to high school together." She watched Katie throw her head back in laughter, her arm reaching out to trail down the length of Finn's bicep as she stumbled back a step, clearly having a few too many flutes of champagne. "Yeah...she and her lady boner were notorious in school. I don't really know that I'd be that comfortable leaving him alone with her."

Sage snorted. "Please. Finn wouldn't know what to do with that if he got it."

"He barely knows what to do with what he already has," Kol sang as he sidled up next to them, wrapping an arm around Caroline's waist as he sent three of them a wink. "My dear brother always was a bit out of his depth when it came to women. Personally, I feel it was just a fluke you fell for him, Sage." He ignored his sister-in-law's eye roll, grinning at Caroline who bit back a groan at his eager expression. "Caroline, darling, I do believe we had a deal and it is time to collect."

Caroline sighed, pursing her lips as she turned to her attention to the dark skinned woman who stood just behind Finn and Katie, a content smile on her face as she perused the festivities around her. "You do know that me talking you up to Bonnie doesn't give you any guarantees, right?"

Kol shrugged. "Well, we'll just let her be the judge of that, won't we?" He waggled his eyebrows at the other two women, tugging Caroline further into him as he moved to move them away. "If you'll excuse us, dear sisters."

"Not a problem," Sage said, tossing her head back as she downed the last of her champagne. "I need to go pull my husband away from his tawdry lady friend."

"Have fun crashing and burning," Katherine called over her shoulder as she turned to walk away, and Kol merely sent her a scathing sneer as he pushed Caroline ahead of him.

As they neared the gift table, Caroline and Sage exchanged an amused glance as they caught the tail end of Katie's conversation to Finn, and they both stifled a laugh as the girl drunkenly giggled, "Did anyone ever tell you that you have a serious pirate vibe? I mean, I would totally let you shiver my timber anyday."

Bonnie looked up as Caroline approached, her smile dimming slightly when she saw Kol lurking right behind, an impish grin on his face as his eyes raked over her bright teal dress. "Hey, Caroline," she said cautiously, arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her friend in question.

"Hey, Bon," Caroline replied, tilting her head as she kept a smile on her face. "Okay, so here's the thing." She hesitated, glancing at Kol over her shoulder. The younger Mikaelson nodded his head, motioning with his hand to continue, and she sighed, turning back to Bonnie. "Kol Mikaelson is a...stand up guy." She grimaced, watching Bonnie frown. "He is street smart and sophisticated, and just plain fly." Scoffing, she looked at Kol again. "You know no one actually says 'fly' anymore." He shrugged, smirking. Turning back to Bonnie, she sighed. "He has a killer smile, and a rockin' bod, and have you seen his smile? Not to mention...he has got a sexual prowess that will leave you shaking with your...toes curled." Her lip curled up in disgust as she finished the spiel Kol had drilled into her head, and she couldn't help the look of surprise that crossed her face when Bonnie suddenly burst into laughter, a bright grin on her face. Her eyes were sparkling as she looked at Kol over Caroline's shoulder, and the blonde could do nothing but gape in astonishment at her friend.

Turning around, she saw a proud, ecstatic smirk on Kol's face, and Caroline rolled her eyes, patting his chest with her hand as she weaved around him. "The gods have apparently smiled down on you, Mikaelson," she muttered, leaning in close so her breath brushed against his ear. "Treat her right or face my wrath." Kol sent her a sidelong glance, winking, before turning his attention back to the smiling brunette before him.

Caroline shook her head, smiling, and stepped away, her gaze once more searching the crowd for the man she'd sought out for in the first place. She raised herself on her tiptoes, peering over the tops of heads and chairs, and her heart skipped when she saw him, striding slowly out onto the dancefloor, his hand outstretched as he approached his sister.

She sighed, settling back on her heels, her arms wrapping themselves around her torso. She watched as Stefan and Rebekah halted their waltzing, and from her distance she could see the bride's eyes widen in surprise when she saw her brother standing behind her.

Her gaze softened as she watched Stefan step away, and Klaus take Rebekah in his arms, drawing her close, and she didn't miss the almost serene smile that graced the young woman's face.

She supposed she had no problem waiting a little longer to speak to him. Something told her Rebekah had been waiting even longer.

**0000000000000**

**Sorry for the attack of Kennett feels. **

**Like I mentioned earlier, I apologize for the lack of Klaroline, but next chapter will take up from Klaus' POV of the reception, and I can promise that Klaroline will finally interact for the first time since they're big blow out fight.**

**Thanks for reading, as always, because you all are the reason I continue to write.**

**Feel free to drop me a line in the reviews-because I love them more than cupcakes, which is saying something, because I luuuuuurve cupcakes.**

**Or, if you're so inclined, follow me on Tumblr: klarolineepiclove.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Rescue Me**

**Chapter 21**

**A.N. Okay. So 4x20. Wow. Pretty much, that's all I've got. Wow. Not necessarily a good 'wow'. Just...wow.**

**I'm not gonna go onto a rant about the episode. If you follow me on Tumblr, I'm sure you already know my thoughts and feelings on the matter. I will just say: Klaroline is epic. I honestly do not see this as the end of this ship. There is still so much hope-as foolish as that hope may be-and I will cling to it until Julie Plec pries it from my dead hands.**

**Anyway...so yeah. Here's the new chapter. It's more Klaus POV this time around, and it pretty much picks up where the last chapter left off, give or take.**

**Also, there may or may not be Klaroline in this chapter...I suppose you'll just have to read on to find out. Tra la la...**

**00000000000000000**

Guilt was a peculiar emotion.

Guilt ridden people, as it turned out, could often find themselves at a loss for sleep or appetite. They tended to say or do things that might seem uncharacteristic, simply to lessen the weight of the emotion that bore down on their shoulders.

Their every instinct could be telling them to get out while they still could, and instead they chose to stay, slipping in unnoticed to a makeshift wedding ceremony, and watching as their little sister walked towards a life they may not approve of, but couldn't deny the happiness that radiated from her face.

Klaus couldn't deny it. He would have never forgiven himself for missing this moment. He would never have forgiven himself if he had missed the smile on Rebekah's face as she slid the gold ring on Stefan Salvatore's finger, or the small, quiet giggle that escaped her lips when he had cupped her face and kissed her, united them in a public display as man and wife for the first time. He would never have forgiven himself for missing the pure, unadulterated happiness his sister experienced as she finally got the life she had so clearly coveted.

He also knew that he never would have forgiven himself if he hadn't gotten to see Caroline once more.

He'd known going into it that it would make it that much harder to walk away. To pretend she didn't exist. To pretend that the stirring he'd felt in his chest for weeks now was nothing more than a figment. That it was nothing at all.

But the second that he'd laid eyes on her, his gaze meeting hers as she stood next to Stefan...he'd been blinded by her radiance.

His breath had caught in his throat when their eyes met, and a small, relieved smile had appeared on her face. She was beautiful, with her eyes looking at him with such adoration.

She was so bright. Stunning. Genuine.

Which is why he had to walk away. He couldn't bring her down with him.

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"Better late than never, Niklaus," Elijah crooned as he idled up to him, his hands straightening his already pristine tie. He lifted his gaze, raising his eyebrows as he stopped next to him. "Though you cut it quite close. I take it your exit strategy plans changed at the last minute?" He shrugged when Klaus looked over at him, surprise etched on his face. "We may not have actually seen each other in quite a few years, but I do still pride myself on knowing you best, brother. To be frank, I'm quite surprised you've lasted this long."

Klaus smirked, swirling the flute of champagne in his hand as he gazed down into it. Elijah always did know him best of all. He had never been able to hide anything from him-his older brother always seemed to be one step ahead. Whether it was stopping him from sneaking out late in his teenage years or from playing some horrible prank on Rebekah when he was a child, Elijah was always there.

"Our little sister would never forgive me if I missed her big day," he said, raising the glass of champagne to his lips as his eyes scoured the festivities around him. The wedding party had yet to make an entrance, no doubt posing for various cliched photographs he knew Rebekah more than likely insisted on. "But fear not, 'Lijah, you're impeccable ability to predict my every move won't be tarnished for long."

Elijah nodded, his lips twitching slightly in thought as he perused the crowds around him, catching sight of his two other brothers wrangling the triplets into their seats. "And there's nothing I can say that would perhaps sway your decision? Not that it needs to be Mystic Falls," he said, catching sight of the scornful look on his face. "I know of your dislike for such small towns as this. Our sister may be content here, but you never would be. I do, however, hear that Chicago is particularly pleasant this time of year."

And there it was.

Klaus could barely hold back the scoffing laughter that he could feel billowing in his chest. Chicago, the city where Caroline just happened to reside when she wasn't playing Best Man duties to Stefan Salvatore.

He supposed he should have seen it coming. As close as he and Elijah were, his elder brother didn't often go out of his way to strike up a conversation unless there was a matter he wished to get off of his chest. In the beginning, he had assumed it was his inevitable departure that was plaguing Elijah's mind, but clearly his initial conversation had been a ruse.

It was no lie to say that talk of relationships were often strained between the two brothers. Though the whole Tatia fiasco had managed to strengthen their bond as siblings, it had also left an almost bitter tenseness in its wake. There had been much left unspoken between he and Elijah. In the end, they had mutually decided that they should let bygones be bygones when it came to the Petrova girl. But there always seemed to be an awkwardness whenever any future relationship issues were brought up between them.

When Katherine had come into the picture, Elijah had cautiously introduced them, a warning in his eyes. He knew there was no risk of a Tatia repeat-he and Klaus were far beyond that at that point-but he also knew that his brother's heart had grown bitter towards any idea of love or happiness. He worried what he would say to Katherine, or even to himself. He never asked for his opinion on his now-wife. He knew his brother's response would be nothing but mockery and disdain.

But despite all of that, he never stopped hoping that Klaus would one day come to see love as he did. A gift, a blessing. An event that could turn even their darkest pasts into something of beauty and wonder.

It could make them stronger.

He'd been wary, upon first meeting Caroline Forbes and learning of her relationship with his brother. Caroline had radiated an innocence he feared would be shattered by Klaus' own insecurities. He had worried she was being deluded into what to expect from his brother. The last thing had wanted was for some poor, clueless girl to be steamrolled when she learned her obvious infatuation wasn't reciprocated in the slightest.

Imagine his surprise when he realized it was.

He met his brother's narrowed gaze and shrugged, slipping his hands into his pockets as he rocked back on his heels slightly. "I merely mention it because I've noticed your fond attachment to Miss Forbes. I have to say, brother, one would have to blind to not pay attention to it."

Klaus snorted into his drink, shaking his head. "You sound like Kol," he muttered.

"Well, our brother always did have an odd knack for pointing out the blatantly obvious in his own brash way. But truly, Niklaus, I'm having difficulty understanding how you can deny it now. Especially after your display last night at the party."

Klaus could feel his chest tighten in anger as his mind flashed back to the rehearsal dinner. He had sought her out that night, hoping to apologize for his harsh words the night before, and perhaps hoping for one from her as well. He wasn't deluded on that front-he knew she had been lashing out because of his behavior towards her. It didn't excuse any of the words they had flung at each other, but he certainly understood. She was volatile, it seemed, when she was under attack.

It was a trait he was all too familiar with.

He had just been about to head for the stairs when he'd heard her voice-muffled and far away, but distinct nonetheless, and laced with fear. He'd followed her voice, coming up to the darkened hallway just in time to hear the shattering of glass and her panicked shriek, and he had seen nothing but red when he rounded the corner and saw Tyler Lockwood pinning her against the wall.

He took a deep, steadying breath. "It's a crime now, to defend a lady against an assailant?"

"On the contrary. But I believe you and I both know that your actions went above and beyond the status quo. You weren't just defending her, you were protecting her. Shielding her. Those aren't the actions of a man unattached, brother. I fear Caroline Forbes has gotten under your skin much more than you truly anticipated, and I believe the sentiment is likewise, given the way her eyes never once left yours." He watched his brother clench his jaw, his eyes boring straight ahead at nothing in particular. His shoulders were rigid, his stance straight, and a war of emotions passed across his face in the span of a second. He tilted his head, turning to face him more fully. "Do you truly believe that you care nothing for the girl, Niklaus?"

He wanted to believe that. Deep down, he knew he wanted nothing more than to say that Caroline Forbes was nothing but a blip on his radar. A little blonde distraction that held no other value to him than the ability to make him forget his woes for a few hours.

He also knew that was nothing but a lie, and that over the course of the last few weeks, his view on Caroline had changed completely. Which was exactly why he needed to leave while he still could.

Darkness consumed the light. And he refused to consume hers.

"What does it matter if I do or not, Elijah?" he asked bitterly, tossing back the last of his champagne and slamming it onto the tray of a passing waiter, swiping another before the young man could scurry away. He took another swig, wiping his lips absentmindedly as he turned to his brother. "To what point and purpose, pray tell, would continuing on with her do? Do you honestly fancy the idea of Caroline and I a decade down the road, miserable and angry, and bound together, all the while wishing we had both just walked away ages ago?"

"Is that the only outcome you can imagine? A future full of bitterness and regret? Are you truly so jaded, Klaus?" He sighed, turning his gaze back out the crowd. "You chose to let your life become what it is. Lonely and angst ridden. And the first honest chance of a change in that lifestyle, and you strive to have it thwarted by your own bitterness." He smiled politely as the pastor who officiated the ceremony passed them by, nodding his head in greeting, before shrugging his shoulders once more. "Perhaps your...relationship with Caroline would be doomed from the start. Perhaps it would fail, and leave the two of you hurt and broken." He looked at him. "Or perhaps it would flourish. Perhaps it would grow, and thrive, and bring you nothing but contentment for the rest of your days. You never truly know until you take a chance, brother."

Klaus could hear a similar sentiment echo in his ears. A similar dare he'd made to a ravished beauty, who stood at the foot of the bed watching him in guarded awareness. He'd dared her to take a chance. To get to know him. And somehow on the way, he'd found himself entangled with her, honestly unable to truly see where he stopped and she began.

And that very realization terrified him to the core.

"As you say, brother: perhaps," he pondered, turning towards him. "Or perhaps I much prefer to keep my head level, as opposed to losing it over such a silly emotion as you and Finn have so dedicatedly decided to do. Perhaps you're able to settle with the uncertainty, Elijah. But I much prefer to be in control of it all. It's a waste of time and effort. One day she'll thank me for it. For helping her dodge what would be the worst mistake of her life."

He spoke with such certainty, his tone clipped and to the point, and Elijah knew there would no more arguing with him. His brother was stubborn, and set in his ways. So riddled with bitterness and fear.

He sighed, shaking his head as he met his brother's gaze. "What a hollow, little life you lead, Niklaus," he murmured quietly.

Something flashed behind his brother's eyes at his comment, but it was gone just as quickly, replaced with his mask of indifference.

"Niklaus," their mother's lilting voice came from behind them, and they both turned to see her standing off to the side, her hands clasped regally before her as she smiled at them both. "Come. I have something to discuss with you."

Klaus looked away from his mother, sliding his gaze back to Elijah. The two brothers stared at one another-best friends, worst enemies, and everything in between throughout the years—neither saying a word, but Elijah's words weighing heavily between them.

There was a sadness in Elijah's eyes—an emotion Klaus feared was so visibly reflected in his own. It worried him that Elijah knew his weakness so easily, when even he was afraid to admit it to himself.

Elijah was the first to break his gaze, his eyes dropping to his polished shoes as he nodded his head once, turning on his heel. He cast his mother a fond smile, his eyes meeting Klaus' once more before he turned and made his way into the crowd, reaching out an arm to wrap around the shoulders of one of his nephews, the redheaded boy letting out a delighted shriek of laughter.

"Niklaus," Esther called again, and Klaus turned his attention from the scene before him—pushing down that damn tightening in his chest that he came to call a curse now—and fell into step with his mother as she leisurely began to walk the perimeter of the celebration.

She was quiet for a long moment, and when he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, he saw her looking out at the dancing couples and conversation happening around them with a thoughtful glance, an almost wistful smile on her face.

"The dreams I used to have of your sister's wedding have paled in comparison to the reality, it's beginning to seem," she said finally, smiling as her eyes caught sight of her grandchildren dancing with their father and uncle. "It truly was a remarkable evening."

He nodded, his own eyes searching the crowds of people for the familiar head of blonde hair he'd been searching for, but there was still no sign of the wedding party.

"Sometimes it seems as if a thousand years have passed since our family has been together as one," she continued. "There was always something keeping you all away. Elijah and his business with Katherine. Kol and whatever fancy his constant adolescent mind grew distracted with. Finn and Sage with the children. Rebekah, with her adventurous personality, always leaping into one thing after the next. And then of course, there's you." She stopped in her steps, turning to face her middle son. "You, Niklaus. With your pathological desire to escape."

Klaus frowned.

"From Mikael." Esther's face softened when she saw her son visibly flinch at the mere mention of her late husband's name. "From the memories that I have no doubt have haunted you. Even from the mother who should have shielded you from all of it, but chose to turn away."

Klaus could do nothing but gape at his mother, his lips parted in silent surprise as he watched the remorse flicker across her face. There was a vulnerability in her eyes that shocked him. He could see behind the mask she'd built over the years; he could see the mother he remembered from when he was nothing more than a boy. Tending to his scraped knees and the nightmares that woke him from his sleep. Smiling at him over the piles of presents on Christmas morning, her eyes always lingering just a bit longer on him than his siblings as she took in his smile and excitement. Before, he'd believed it was perhaps because she favored him more. He would go Rebekah and Kol and taunt them, singing about their mother's preference to him.

Now of course, he knew it was the far opposite. She had always looked at him a bit closer to make sure there was no resemblance to his real father peeking through. That there would be no reason for Mikael to doubt his paternity.

Esther was looking up at him, decades worth of regret and turmoil in her eyes, and her lips turned up in a sad, understanding smile. "I should have protected you, Niklaus. I shouldn't have made you pay for my own indiscretion. I should have been your mother, above being his wife. And I am sorry, for all you had to suffer at his hands."

They were words he would never admit he'd always wanted to hear. How many times had he ached to hear this same sentiment from his mother's lips? To hear her say that he had fault in any of it?

He could feel a burning behind his eyes, and he let out a breath, turning his head to look out at the crowd and the grounds beyond as he blinked away the tears he could feel threatening to burst forth. He rubbed at his eyes with his hand, shifting on his feet as he let out a sigh, turning back to see his mother looking at him with her own unshed tears in her eyes.

"I don't understand," he said softly. "It's been years, Mother...why bring this all up now?"

An amused smile seemed to cross her face then, and Esther laughed quietly, shaking her head. "Your special friend Caroline has quite a way of making you see your own fault in things," she said. "She very well put me in my place last night. I truly never imagined someone so small and meek looking could harness the kind of anger she directed at me, but I dare say she certainly changed my perception of her." She smiled. "She made me see. What my years of neglect has done to you. I will spend the rest of my existence trying to make up for it. Which is why you won't leave again." There was a firmness to her tone that made him drop his gaze. It was practically a reprimand, and he knew that somehow his mother had come to the same conclusion Elijah had moment ago. "You won't disappear. You can live your life where and how you please, but you will not turn your back on this family. Just as I will not turn my back on you. Ever again, Niklaus. Do you understand?"

It was an oath to him, if he would promise the same to her.

He nodded, ducking his head to hide the small smile that pulled at his lips. He felt her hands on his cheeks then, pulling his face up and his head down, and her lips brushed against his cheek fondly. His heart ached in that moment, when he realized this was one of those moments he always told himself he never needed. A mother's love...in the purest form.

Esther smiled at him, wiping at the moisture that was building under her eyes-ever so careful that her makeup remained unblemished-and she reached out to squeeze his shoulder as she moved passed him.

His arm caught her wrist before she could go too far, and she turned back to him, a question on her face.

"Your perception? Of Caroline?" he asked.

His mother smiled knowingly, stepping towards him again. "She'll save you," she said simply. "Just as you save her." There was a frown on his face, and she shrugged. "She may not let people see it, but I imagine she's just as dark as you at times. Battling with her own inner demons, though hers come from a different source as yours. She's been through war herself, Niklaus, even if hers isn't as literal as your own."

He frowned, his fingers slipping from their grasp around her wrist to gaze down at her. "You knew?" he asked.

He'd joined the British Military not long after he'd left home, so desperate for a sense of belonging and a need to be wanted. He'd immersed himself in it. Dedicating every ounce of strength and power he had to a cause he was familiar with, but deep down wasn't sure he fully supported. It gave him a distraction-a way to forget about how lost and empty his life had become in such a short time. He became a stranger even to himself during those years. Fell into wrong crowds of soldiers-men who took whatever they wanted without a second thought to who they could hurt. He was powerful in that time. Untouchable.

But still alone.

Esther shook her head, reaching out to him again. "Niklaus, you are my son. I may not have always been there, but I always knew where you were. What you were doing. I never let you out of my sight. Mikael couldn't destroy you, no matter how much he desired to do so. You grew strong, and triumphant. And you proved wrong every word he ever slandered against you." She stepped closer, tilting her chin up until she could stare into his eyes directly, a near warning swirling in them. "Don't let his ghost ruin you now."

Klaus held her gaze until she turned away, watching as she took on once more the image of the proud matriarch of the Mikealson clan. He watched her stop to chat with an older couple he vaguely remembered being introduced to at some point over the last few weeks, but their name slipped his mind when the MC's voice suddenly blared over the sound system, announcing the arrival of the wedding party, and his eyes flew to the side of the side of the tent as the bridal party made their way inside, dazzling smiles on each his sisters-in-law faces and a bored, complacent one on Rose's.

The applause of the crowd greeted them, and they took their designated spots at the head table where the wedding party would be seated. Seconds later, the groom's side of the wedding party made their debut, and he couldn't help the smirk that tugged at his lips as he watched Kol strut into the room, a smug smile on his handsome face as he led the way. He made a note to ask his brother how he'd been finagled into joining the wedding party, but the thought was quickly dispelled from his mind when he spotted her.

Caroline.

She was walking behind the law partner of Stefan's-some odd name that started with A if he recalled correctly-her face lit up in happiness in laughter as she joined in the applause, her eyes shining as she twirled on her feet to watch as Stefan and Rebekah finally made their debut.

His attention was riveted on her, though, his mother's words screaming in his ears.

oooooooo

"What was Mum talking to you about?" Henrik asked through his mouthful of dessert, an overflowing plate in his hands as he looked over at him.

Klaus looked at him in amusement as the young boy's cheeks nearly burst with the size of his bite. He smiled, shaking his head, his gaze once again traveling to the blonde at the front of the room. "Nothing important," he brushed off, raising the glass of champagne to his lips. Caroline's eyes locked on his then, and he watched as an almost relieved smile came over her face.

She was happy to see him. That was a good sign at least.

"Can I have a swig of that?" Henrik asked at his side, and he turned to see his younger brother slowly reaching the glass in his hand, a gleam in his eye that Klaus was all too familiar with. He shook his head, lifting the glass away from him. "Come on, I won't tell Mum. One drink."

"Go bother Kol," Klaus muttered, shaking his head, and he watched as Caroline maneuvered her way away from the table, her gaze still set on his. She was making her way towards him before Katherine intervened, and he smiled slightly when he saw the irritation and impatience cross her face as she turned to greet her. He felt Henrik reach around him, his arm stretching to reach the glass he was holding away from him, and he stepped back, shoving his younger brother away slightly with a stern look. The younger boy sighed in exasperation, muttering something under his breath about being overbearing running in the family before he turned and wandered off, no doubt hoping his other brother would be more accommodating.

Caroline was being dragged away by Kol now, off to where the Bennett girl was sitting, and he sighed, letting his attention travel to the still dancing couple in the center of the room. He couldn't help but smile as he watched Stefan twirl Rebekah around on the dance floor, her smile bright and her laughter trickling from her lips.

This was what he always wanted for Rebekah. Happiness. He realized now it didn't matter how she got it, as she long as she did.

He found his feet moving him towards them, and his eyes caught Stefan's as he approached. The younger man's gaze held a bit of a bite, and he wondered to himself whether it was because of Caroline or if Rebekah had clued him in on their equally disastrous fight. EIther way, he knew there was no love lost between the two of them.

Stefan's dancing slowed as he came closer, and Rebekah frowned slightly when she noticed, her head tilting up to stare at him before looking over her shoulder at where his gaze was riveted. The frown slipped off her face when she spotted him, shock and surprise taking its place as her hands slowly fell to her sides.

"Nik," she nearly whispered.

Klaus smiled at her before glancing at Stefan. "Mind if I cut in, mate?"

Stefan's lips pressed themselves into a thin line as he shifted his gaze to his new wife, silently questioning her wishes. Rebekah glanced at him, nodding her head briefly after a moment, and Stefan bobbed his head, pressing a kiss to her cheek and squeezing her waist affectionately as he moved to walk away, his eyes casting him a warning glance before he turned and headed towards the main table.

Rebekah stepped towards him, slipping her hand into his outstretched palm and resting her other one on his shoulder as his own arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close and leading her into a slow dance.

He looked down at her, smirking when he saw she was avoiding his gaze, her jaw set tight and her fingers digging deep into his shoulder as she followed his every step. "You seem surprised to see me."

She scoffed, finally lifting her chin to glare at him. "Shouldn't I be? After all, it was only a few short hours ago you were telling me you were leaving and what a foolish mistake I was making. Why wouldn't I be surprised to see you here now?"

"Did you really believe I wouldn't stay to see you married off, Rebekah?"

"Why not? You don't believe in it. You don't want me to be happy, you don't want any of us to be happy. Why would I ever believe you wanted to see this?"

He shrugged. "Perhaps you changed my mind," he said, looking down at her as she scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Perhaps the idea of marriage isn't as deplorable as I once thought it was, seeing at how happy it's made you." He sighed. "Perhaps because I can't live with the idea of you hating me for the rest of forever."

Rebekah raised her eyes to him them. "You can't just sweet talk me and expect everything to be okay again, Nik," she said, shaking her head and looking away from him. "We're not children anymore. It doesn't work like that."

He nodded. "I know. It's funny though...the way I still see you as my baby sister. I want the best for you now, just as I did then. Sometimes it's just hard to accept that my idea of what's best for you..may not actually be what is." He shifted his gaze when she looked at him again. "I want you to finally know happiness, sister. To live your life the way you wish. And if that happens to be married to some American fop like Salvatore and living in a small, one pony town like Mystic Falls...then that's what it will be. And I'm sorry for ever making it seem that I wanted anything less for you, Bekah."

Rebekah could feel the tears swimming in her eyes, and she felt his fingers tighten around her own as he continued to look down at her. She let out a quiet sigh, a smile coming unbidden on her face, and she shook her head slightly, leaning forward and resting her chin on his shoulder. They moved in quiet tandem, neither saying a word.

"You're still an ass," she said quietly, smiling when she felt his shoulders shake with his chuckle. She pulled back, swiping at her tear stained cheeks self consciously. "And just for the record? I could never hate you, Nik. Not really. You're my family...always and forever."

Klaus grinned, leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek. "Always and forever," he reiterated quietly, smiling down at her before his gaze landed on someone standing off to the side.

Rebekah noticed his distraction, and upon turning and catching sight of Caroline standing at the edge of the dance floor, her arms folded across her chest and a soft smile on her face as she watched the two of them, she sighed, smiling as she looked back at her brother.

"I want the same thing for you," she chimed in, shrugging when Klaus' eyes dropped to hers. "To live your life the way you choose...so choose well, brother." She smiled, squeezing his fingers with her own once more before throwing Caroline one last glance. She turned in swish of fabric, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she made her way back to Stefan, the latter of who held out a welcoming hand to her and pulled her into his arms.

Klaus' eyes gravitated to Caroline, and the music and hustle and bustle around them seemed to fade away. It was still there, he knew, but in that moment he couldn't focus on anything more than her. She was smiling at him, and he could feel every ounce of trepidation he had felt at seeing her again fade away with the sight. He moved towards her then, weaving around the few couples who had migrated onto the dance floor, and his eyes stayed fixed on hers until he stood before her, breathing her in as if he were a man who hadn't smelled fresh air in decades.

He smirked, extending a hand to her.

Caroline smiled, her teeth catching her lower lip as she shook her head slightly before placing her hand in his, letting him lead her onto the makeshift dance floor, his backwards steps unflinching as he kept ahold of her gaze. He led her to the middle of the dance floor, lifting his arm and spinning her in a turn, pulling her back into him and wrapping an arm around her waist before he started them in a slow, swaying pace.

The heavy weight of his hand at the small of her back made her sigh, and she closed her eyes at the feeling of his fingers threading through her own. Her head rested against his shoulder, the steady sound of his breathing in her ear as his cheek rested against hers.

There was only them in that moment. No other dancing couples, no siblings or parents or gossiping townsfolk. No rumors of past mistakes. No harsh words or biting comments.

Just them.

"You look beautiful," he whispered to her, his raspy voice sending a chill down her spine, his breath warm against her ear.

She smiled. "You're not so bad yourself."

"You'll have to explain to me one day how you roped Kol into standing in as groomsman number three," he chuckled, catching sight of the brother in question standing next to the Bennett girl, their heads tipped close together as they laughed. "He's not much for such a public display if he's not the center of attention."

He heard her laugh, and the melodious sound nearly swelled within him. His grip on her hand tightened slightly, and he unconciously pulled her closer, his head turning, lips grazing her temple as he spoke. "I'm sorry, Caroline," he said quietly, feeling her tense beneath his touch. "For what I said the other night."

She nodded against him, the hand resting on his shoulder tightening its grip, her fingers wrapping themselves in the collar of his suit jacket. "Me too," she added softly, pulling back and slowly raising her eyes to his. His blue orbs were staring intently down at her, and she felt that same odd twist in her stomach that she'd come to associate with him. "What I said...I didn't...I didn't mean..."

"I know, love," he said, his gaze dropping to their entwined hands, watching as his thumb caressed the smooth skin of her hand. "Don't worry about it."

"I do worry about it," she argued, frowning. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, and she sighed, tilting her head to the side slightly as she regarded him. "I wish I could take it back. I wish I could take...all of it back. I wish we could just go back and live in that nice little bubble we did for a few weeks, you know? Where nothing mattered but you and me." She watched as his eyes seemed to change as she spoke, a flash of something appearing in them before they began to grow distant, as if he was cutting himself off from her in that moment. She felt more than heard him sigh, and the fingers against her back traced a pattern against the fabric of her dress.

"But we can't...can we?"

There was finality in his voice that made her freeze. A finality tinged with what she could only describe as regret and sadness, and it was a sound that nearly made her heart stop in her chest as she stared at him, watching as his eyes searched her face, as if memorizing every curve and freckle.

Caroline shook her head, scoffing quietly under her breath as her head dropped, her eyes watching the floor as their feet moved slowly against it. "It doesn't matter what I say to you right now, does it?" she asked softly. "You're pushing me away again, Klaus. You're shutting me out."

"It's what I do, sweetheart," he said softly, a sad smirk on his face. "I just can't help myself."

She looked up at him, smiling even as the tears began to swim in her vision. She pushed them away, focusing on him, on the regret and the pain he was trying so hard to hide, but was still evident on his face. "Don't. Okay? Just...I mean, you have to know that somewhere over the course of the last few weeks, something changed. Something's different and I just..." She laughed at her rambling, shaking her head. "I don't know, I just...I know that I was dying the last two days, knowing that you thought I thought you couldn't understand...about Tyler. About why I did what I did. About loving someone...so much...that you would give up everything and anything for them."

"And you don't think that now?"

She shook her head. "No. I don't." He was watching her, his dark eyes piercing into her own, and she took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. "I know...that you're in love with me." In an instant, their swaying stopped, and his grip on her hand and waist tightened. His eyes bore into her own, and her breath caught in her throat. She nodded, forcing herself to continue. "You're in love with me, and I know...because I'm in love with you. Somewhere in the middle of the lies and the wedding planning and the complete freaking whirlwind that's been our lives since we both rolled into town, something-somewhere-changed. It all changed, and suddenly you were...more to me, than I ever thought you could be." She shifted, slipping her hand free of his and letting it come to rest on his other shoulder. "And it's terrifying. It's scary, and I was so scared, and I lashed out at you, but I didn't mean it, at all, when I said you didn't understand. Or that you're incapable of it. Because I know you're not. I know that you look at me, the same way I look at you. I know that I feel safe with you...safer than I ever have." Her hand trailed up his neck, curving across his jaw, and coming to rest against his cheek. "I love you, Klaus. I love you, and I'm just...I'm so sorry."

Her thumb was tracing the curve of his stubble covered cheek, her eyes watching the war of emotions that were crossing his face. His eyes were tumultuous, confusion and wariness and disbelief swirling within them. His lips were parted, nothing but silence escaping them as he stared down at her, his brows furrowed.

His grip on her had gone lax, she realized with a heavy heart. His was loosely draped around her waist now, his other hanging limply at his side, and she realized that even though neither of them had moved, there was a sudden distance between them. It was as if her confession had sent them back-back to the time, weeks ago, when she was nothing more than the best friend friend of his sister's fiance. He was looking at her as if he'd never seen her before. As if every night they'd spent together-talking and kissing and_ loving, god damn it_-as if every night was nothing but a fantasy now.

He didn't believe her. It was evident, in the way his eyes searched her face or the way his breath seemed to slow and come out in short, sharp pants. It was in the way his arm slowly slid from around her waist, and the way his feet slowly stepped back, his eyes darting from her face to the ground, before slowly flicking back up to look at her.

He didn't believe her. He still saw himself as what she'd accused him of being-incapable of love. Incapable of real emotion, or attachment. Dark. Damaged.

He didn't believe he loved her.

She stared at him, her own arms falling to her sides as her lips began to quiver, the tears in her eyes making their way down her cheeks, and she saw him flinch. She swiped at them with the back of her hand, one arm wrapping itself around her torso as she cast a self conscious glance at the crowd around them.

"Caroline..." she heard him say quietly, and she turned her gaze back to him. He'd moved closer to her, a few more steps, but he still kept a distance. He was reaching for her, his hand outstretched, and she suddenly wanted nothing more than to be gone. To disappear. She didn't want to hear whatever spiel he was about to give her. She didn't want to listen to him say that she didn't mean as much to him as he did to her. She didn't want to have her heart break anymore than it was at that moment.

She shook her head, stepping away from her. "It's fine," she whispered, forcing herself to smile at him through her tear rimmed eyes. "It's fine, I get it." She shook her head, laughing at herself. "I get it." Sighing, she wrapped her arms around herself, taking another step back as she met his eyes once more. "Goodbye, Klaus."

A sob caught in her throat as she turned away from him, her fingers digging into her sides as she pushed her way through the crowd, the music and laughter around her only seeming to penetrate her very soul even more. She didn't-couldn't-look behind her. She couldn't look and see him standing there, watching after her, and realizing that without even trying, she'd somehow done it again. She'd given herself completely over to someone. She'd poured everything she had-everything she was-into him; into them.

And once again, she wasn't enough.

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**Meh...ok. I'm still not 100% sold on this. Hopefully it's not as awful as I'm rereading it to be. Hopefully it's more Klaroline-esque than what I'm imagining it to be. Hopefully you don't all hate it.**

**Well...there's one chapter left. The final chapter, and my heart nearly breaks with that knowledge.**

**Please leave me a note, and let me know what you all thought.**

**As always, drop me a line over on Tumblr, if you so desire: klarolineepiclove.**

**Until next time, my sweets.**


	22. Chapter 22: The End

**Rescue Me**

**Chapter 22**

**A.N. *Deep breath* This. Is. It. This is where it ends. I started this story back in August, and now here we are. I want to thank all of you for your continued love and interest for this story that started out as just a fun way to pass the time. I can't even explain how much your reviews and comments have meant to me.**

**Thank you to my wonderful group of peeps who have all been so passionate about this story.**

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It was strange, how in the course of a few weeks, things could change so drastically.

Caroline had come back to Mystic Falls full of trepidation and fear. She'd come back, fully expecting the wrath of a town. Fully expecting to be forced away or ridiculed or a million other scenarios that ended in her certainty that she would never be able to call the little Virginia town "home" again.

She honestly never thought she'd be glad things didn't turn out like she planned.

Zipping the last of her suitcases closed, Caroline sighed, spinning on her heel and flopping down onto the bed. She pursed her lips as she let her eyes skim across the room.

Things were okay. They weren't great. Everything hadn't been magically fixed with the truth about the accident coming out at long last. Tyler was finally reaping the repercussions of what he had done, and while a part of her felt sorry for the man she'd once loved with all her heart, there was another—stronger—part of her that couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

She still got a few curious looks. Some people in town weren't so quick to forgive, and it was almost as if she'd traded one crime for another. Shaming the name of the Lockwood family wasn't something that would easily go overlooked, and the scathing but remorseful glances Carol Lockwood had cast in her direction when they crossed paths in town that morning spoke volumes in itself. She was silent, though, seeming to know that she really had no right to say a word. Her son had let his pretty high school girlfriend take the blame for a crime he committed, and while Caroline was sure Mrs. Lockwood longed to make excuses and try to turn the tables, she realized that in this case, silence was golden.

Her mother was coming to visit her in Chicago in a few weeks. Things were still tense with her and Liz, the idea that she'd so horribly disregarded her daughter for years because of a lie weighing heavily on the elder Forbes' mind. She wanted to make amends, though. Get back to where they left off. "But better," Liz had told her, her usual stoic eyes shining with unshed tears as she had pushed her daughter's hair from her eyes. The brief gesture had meant more to Caroline than words could describe, and she promised a weekend full of bonding and ice cream, scenarios she'd dreamed of having with her mother but always believing they'd never come true.

She sighed, leaning back on her elbows as her gaze fell to the discarded sheet of paper that rested on the night table.

She didn't know why she hadn't just tossed it away. Was there a point, in keeping it, when all it did was tug at her heartstrings, with memories of what could have been but never would?

She'd been caught off guard this morning, when stripping the bed of her sheets, she'd found the paper wedged between the bed and the wall. A frown had marred her face as she tugged the paper from its confines, before her gaze softened when she caught sight of exactly what it was.

She could remember Klaus sketching this in the back of her mind. In the picture, she was lounging at the foot of the bed, her head turned just slightly to toss him a carefree smile, a laugh on her lips as her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders.

She'd been so engrossed in her To-do list that night, she'd not even realized she was the subject of his art until she'd seen it for herself. She'd complained, trying to pull the sketchbook from his hands, telling him there were so many more interesting and beautiful things to draw than her, to which he had only laughed, grinning as he pulled her against him. His lips had captured hers, his promise that nothing was nearly as beautiful or interesting as her, and he would gladly sketch her until his hands cramped if it meant he could always see her smiling face.

It wasn't the first time he'd done so, either. She'd flipped through the book, seeing silhouettes of her. Drawings of just her eyes or her smile. The curve of her hand around his. Her feet, tangled in the sheets, her star tattoo outlined and darkened.

_"Why did you get this?" he'd asked, tracing the curve of her foot gently with his fingers as he pressed a kiss to her toes._

_She'd giggled, shrugging her shoulders, squirming slightly at the ticklish sensation his hands were causing. "It was on a whim," she'd said, sitting up and scooting closer to him, freeing her foot from his grasp and pressing a kiss to his lips. "So I could always chase the stars."_

Caroline felt the familiar bubble of emotion welling in her throat, and she tore her eyes away from the sketch.

She couldn't let herself think about him. She wouldn't let herself dwell on the fact that she had fallen in love with a man who couldn't ever love her back. Not as long as he still viewed himself the way he did. Unredeemable. Dark. Damaged. Incapable of love.

A quick knock on the door broke her train of thought, and she sat with up with a smile when she turned her head and saw Stefan making his way into the room. The golden band on his right hand gleaned in the sunlight of the early afternoon, and the sight itself brought more joy to her than she ever imagined it would.

"Well, hello there, Mr. Salvatore," she sang, crossing her legs at the ankle and swinging her feet back and forth. "Come to bid farewell before you whisk your lovely wife off to a tropical paradise?"

Her old friend laughed, the joy on his face unable to be contained, and she realized then that no matter how the situation would have turned out, she would never have missed this for the world.

Stefan made his way over to her, plopping down next to her on the mattress with a sigh, his arm automatically stretching out to wrap around her shoulders. "We're just about to leave," he said, smiling. "Rebekah's giving last minute instructions to Mrs. Flowers, which I tried to tell her wasn't necessary, since she's taken care of the house long enough to know the ins and outs."

"So she's settling into the role of Mrs. Salvatore well then," Caroline said with a giggle. "That's good. I'm sure Mrs. Flowers understands. And besides, she always has her Red Hat ragers over and done with before anyone even gets home, so…"

Stefan laughed, nodding. "Yeah." He trailed off, his fingers tracing a pattern on her upper arm as he looked over at her. "You doing okay?"

Caroline rolled her eyes, a smirk on her lips. "Stef, do you even realize how many times that question has left your lips the past few days?" She laughed, bumping her shoulder with his and patting his leg with her hand. "Come on, I'm fine. It's been an adventure, and while I probably would never want to relive it again, ever…I really am okay. I mean, I still don't think the Founding Families will be extending an invitation to the next big Mystic Falls event really, but…my mom's talking to me again." She smiled. "Jeremy told me he was sorry for everything that I had to go through because of Tyler, and how he wished he'd known what really happened a long time ago. And I told him that out of everyone, he didn't owe me anything. He'd lost his family that night, and just because the real blame came out, it doesn't change that."

"Yeah, but…he needed to say that you," Stefan said softly. "He knew how good of friends you and Elena were. And I can imagine that thinking for years that you were the one responsible hurt him almost as much as actually losing her did."

She shrugged. "Still. It meant a lot to me, to hear him say it, but…he still lost his family. And he lost his friend now, too," she added, thinking of the devastation on Jeremy's face when he realized his best friend had been lying to him for years. "Anyway…it does feel better. I kind of feel…freer. You know?"

Stefan nodded, tightening his grip on her shoulders. "Um…just so you know, Damon's looking for you." He watched her raise her head and look at him, surprise on her face. "He wants to talk to you before he leaves for rehab."

"Rehab?"

"Yeah," Stefan replied, a ghost of a smile on his face. "He's going to an out-patient center in Richmond. Said he needed to get his mind clear, and get healthy again, so he could start to accept what happened. Understand it, to the best he can. He realizes, I think, just how far he's fallen now. And knowing that he's been treating you so horribly, when you weren't the one to blame…I think he just wants to make things as right as he can at the moment."

"Wow," Caroline murmured, shaking her head. "Well…good for him. The rehab thing. It'll be good, in the long run. Maybe the two of you can get back to where you were before graduation. You know…be brothers again."

A small, wistful smile appeared on Stefan's face. "I hope so," he said softly. His eyes met hers for a moment, and then they traveled over the night stand, softening when they caught sight of the sketch that still rested on it.

Her eyes followed, and she felt Stefan squeeze her shoulder just a bit tighter after the sigh escaped her.

"It's done, Stefan," she said, her gaze dropping to her hands in her lap. "I said what I had to say, and so did he, and we just…You know, some people just don't work. No matter how badly you want them to. Me and Klaus, we just…" She sighed, shaking her head. "We just didn't, and it…breaks my heart. To realize that I fell for the one guy who didn't run away screaming at my dirty secrets, but just couldn't say it back." She laughed quietly, closing her eyes. She wouldn't cry. Not again.

"Caroline."

She shook her head again, forcing a smile onto her face as she turned to look at Stefan. His gaze was soft and concerned, her own pain mirrored in his dark eyes, as it often was. Stefan always felt more than everyone else. When someone else was hurt, so was he. He'd told her once, that he felt her pain more than anyone's, because he knew better than anyone just how much she didn't deserve it.

"I'm fine, Stefan. Really. It's just another bump in the road. But I'll move on, and be a better person for it. And in a few years, you and I will look back on it and laugh, and think about what a total fool I was."

Stefan's eyes searched her face for a long moment, and she knew he saw straight through her collected façade. But he chose to humor her, nodding his head, a smile on his lips. "You are a fool, Caroline Forbes," he said, leaning over and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "But you're the wisest fool I know."

"And don't you forget it," she replied, leaning into his embrace. She laughed, letting her eyes travel to the open door. "You know, you better get a move on. I mean, you need to let Rebekah enjoy the sun and the surf in her itty bitty bikini before she's too big to fit into it anymore."

As she pulled away, she saw the large grin that stretched across her best friend's face. Pure happiness. That was what was radiating from Stefan Salvatore in that moment. The idea of Rebekah growing big with their baby—his baby—brought more joy to him than anything she could ever imagine would. She wondered how Rebekah could ever be afraid he wouldn't be thrilled to have a baby with her, unplanned or not.

The idea took some getting used to. Stefan as a father. She knew he would be fantastic at it, though. And Rebekah, for all her fears and worries about motherhood, would be the best mother a child could ask for. And despite their reservations—some more vocal than others, as she thought of Kol and his brash, loud opinion on the subject—her family would make sure this child would be the most cared after in history.

She tried not to think of one family member in particular, or the thought of running into him over the years.

The thought pained her more than she could handle.

Stefan sighed, pulling Caroline close to his side and resting his chin atop her head. He felt her arms wrap around his torso, and he smiled.

"I love you, Caroline Forbes," he said softly, feeling her smile against him. "You're still my best girl."

"From the cradle to the grave," she replied, lifting her head to press a quick kiss to his cheek. "Now go. Get. You've got a life to start living."

He grinned, nodding. "So do you."

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"Hey, Barbie."

Damon caught her as she was loading the last of her luggage into the trunk of her rental car, and she couldn't help the pleased surprise she felt when she caught sight of his clear blue eyes and his steady stride. She shut the trunk as he approached, turning on her heel to face him.

He looked good, she realized. He looked like the old Damon, the one who was in love with Elena and loved his little brother. The one who didn't hate her with very fiber of his being.

She offered him smile when he stopped at the edge of her car, his fingers twitching restlessly at his sides.

"Well, look who's up before noon and sober as a judge," Caroline joked, smiling when he smirked slightly, his dark black hair falling into his eyes as he shrugged.

"And I feel every inch of it," he replied, grimacing slightly. "I forgot what it felt like to actually be lucid for a change. It feels…horrible." He smirked, raising his eyebrows. "But in a good way."

Caroline nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Stefan told me about Richmond. I think it's a great thing, Damon."

"Yeah. I'm sure I'll think so, too. You know, after the tremors and the nausea and all the glorious stuff they don't advertise in their brochure passes." He shrugged, his eyes turning to gaze down the winding driveway before he sighed. He turned back to her, his blue eyes meeting hers.

"Elena meant everything to me. The night she died, I felt like my whole world ended. Like I would never be okay again. It never really occurred to me, afterwards…that your world got ripped away too."

Caroline shifted on her feet, her eyes darting to the ground before rising to meet his again. She didn't speak, only because she was so unsure of what she wanted to say.

"You were living in a hell too, Caroline. And I'm…sorry, that I couldn't see that. That I treated you the way I did. That he made you give up everything, just so he didn't have to admit he screwed up."

Caroline shrugged, shaking her head. "He didn't make me do anything, Damon," she said quietly, and knew the words were true. "I made a decision that night. He might have manipulated his way into it, but in the end, I was the one who chose to go along with it. I'm to blame too."

"Not in the same way," Damon argued, his jaw tight. "Tyler Lockwood is the scum of the Earth, Caroline. He's a self-righteous dick who never deserved you. Never deserved anything that he got. Until now," he added with a smirk.

Caroline smiled, laughing softly as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She realized this was the closest she would ever get to an apology from Damon Salvatore. An apology for the way he treated her before Elena. When she was nothing more than a way for him to get to his brother. She liked to think that when he said Tyler never deserved her, he really meant that he never did either. That he was wrong for what he did. That he was sorry.

She would never really know, she supposed. She would never ask him, either. She wasn't that girl anymore. She wouldn't dwell on the mistakes of the past. She wouldn't let what had happened define her anymore.

Caroline sighed, lifting her head. Her eyes met his, in the afternoon light. In that moment, she said goodbye to every grievance he'd committed against her. Every scathing word. Every insult. Every broken promise and shattered dream. She said goodbye to the broken people they both used to be.

"Take care of yourself, Damon," she said with a smile, taking a step backwards.

He nodded, his lips quirked up in the most honest smile she thought she'd ever seen from him.

"You too, Blondie."

She got into her car, watching over her shoulder as he stood on the sidelines, his arms hanging at his sides, piercing blue eyes watching her as she started the ignition and inched her way down the driveway. She watched in the rearview mirror as he stood outside the boarding house, his head tilting back as he gazed up at the clear blue sky, and she thought she caught the hint of a smile on his face.

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She was barely a mile out of town when the loud pop sounded, shaking her car and making her swerve to the side. She sat up in her seat as she steered the car to edge of the road, her eyes searching her side view mirrors for any indication at what she'd hit or what had happened.

She put the car in park and unclipped her seatbelt, pushing open her door and stepping outside. She groaned aloud when she caught side of her rear tire, the rubber flat and deflated against the asphalt. She stomped her foot, her hands reaching up to run through her hair.

As if the drive back wasn't enough time to be alone with her thoughts and regrets, now she'd surely have to wait at least an hour or more for a tow truck to come to her aid. She knew she should have listened to her father when he told her learning to change a spare tire was a skill she could take to the bank.

She sighed, reaching into her pocket for her cell phone. Her fingers hovered over the keys, her mind scurrying to just who she could call. Her mother was at work, Stefan was halfway to the Bahamas by now, and she knew that Bonnie—for all her denials and complaints—was out of town with Kol, in the end unable to ignore the charm of the Mikaelson clan.

She shook her head, launching her mobile browser and pulling up Google.

"Car trouble?"

The familiar dulcet tone of the voice behind her made her freeze in her steps, the breath catching in her throat.

She'd know his voice anywhere now. She heard it all the time, every time she closed her eyes and let her mind drift across the last few weeks. It still sent a shiver down her spine, all the way to her toes, and made her heart skip a beat in her chest.

She didn't want to turn around. She didn't want to risk the fact that this could all be in her head. She didn't want to imagine that he wasn't there behind her.

She turned her head, eyes wide as she saw him there, standing on the edge of the street. His eyes were staring straight at her, his lips turned up into a roguish smirk that still could make her breath halt in her throat. His arms were crossed over his chest as he regarded her, his stubble covered dimples appearing in his cheeks. She felt her mouth open, but no sound came out, and his smirk widened.

"You should really remember to check your tire pressure, love," he said, lifting a hand to point at the deflated tire on the car. "You're lucky you were going as slow as you were. If this had happened on the highway, the result could have been quite different."

There was a tone to his voice, almost a laughter behind his words, that made her frown, and her eyes looked past him to see his familiar truck parked a mile or so ahead. It was almost too coincidental.

She hadn't seen him since the wedding, since the moment she'd left him standing in the middle of the dance floor, his remorseful face staring after her. And now he just appeared, in the middle of nowhere, at exactly the moment she needed help?

Caroline looked back at the flat tire, a scoff leaving her lips as the pieces started fitting together in her mind, and she shook her head when she looked back at him. "Must have slipped my mind," she said, forcing her voice remain steady and nonchalant. Anything to not betray the fact that her heart was racing a mile a minute. "It's been an eventful few days."

Klaus tilted his head as he started towards her, his steps slow and deliberate. "You don't say."

She nodded, sliding her phone into the back pocket of her jeans as she took a small step away from him, her hip grazing the side of her car. "Yeah, you know…best friend gets married. Big dark secret finally gets revealed." Her eyes flickered up to his. "Heart gets broken." His steps stopped at that, and she shrugged. "Nothing so unusual."

His brow furrowed, hands clenching into fists at his side. "On the contrary, sweetheart," he said softly, shaking his head. "That last one is quite a travesty."

Caroline sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "What are you doing here, Klaus?"

In an instant, his smug smirk was back in place, his head turning to the side as he continued his trek towards her. He shrugged, tossing his arms out at his side. "I needed to speak with you. And I thought it would be poetic, if we were to cross paths again on the road where we first met." He looked at her, his eyebrows raised. "It's a bit further off than the first time, but you have to admit, my calculations were actually quite close."

She scoffed. "So what, you vandalized my car just so you could talk to me?" she demanded, watching him shrug as he came a stop just before her. "Jesus, you are unbelievable," she said, turning on her heel and striding down the street.

"Caroline," he said, reaching out to grab ahold of her hand, but she whipped it from his grasp, turning and facing him, a whir of blonde hair and blue eyes.

"No, you know what, why should I? Why should I listen to anything you have to say, when clearly you had the ample opportunity to say it all the other day." She laughed, raising arms and cradling her head in her heads. "I mean, you could have said whatever the hell you wanted to, Klaus. After I made an idiot out of myself and told you I loved you, you could have just said no. You could have said, 'nope, sorry, don't feel the same way,' or 'why don't we talk about it later, love,' or anything, but you just stood there. You just stood there, staring at me like I was some stupid idiot, and just let me go on and on. You didn't say anything, Klaus."

He was silent as she ranted, his lips pressed together, an almost impatient expression on his face. Almost like he knew he had to let her get it all out before he could even get a word in edgewise, which was true, and it only made her angrier, knowing that he knew her so well.

"I get that I wasn't exactly honest, okay? I get that you were pissed and angry that I didn't tell you I was living a lie, but it's not like you were super forthcoming either, Mr. It's-a-Long-Story. With your buttload of secrets that you refused to tell me. Secrets that, let me tell you, I could care less about. I don't give a shit about whatever dark secrets you're hiding from me and your family. I don't care about them, because they don't matter to me. They don't change anything. I get that you're damaged. I get that you have issues and insecurities, but in case you haven't noticed, Mikaelson, I'm a freaking basketcase of neurosis. I have just as many hang ups and screw ups as you do, so seriously, using that as an excuse is so fucking lame, you have no idea."

He was smiling now, his blue eyes dancing in his face as he stared down at her.

He found her amusing, the smug bastard.

"God, would you stop smiling," she yelled, throwing her arms up in exasperation. "I got the picture, Klaus, believe me. I get it. You don't do relationships, you don't do love, you don't do the future. I'm just a stupid girl, who fell in love, and you want to let me down easy with your stupid British charm and pet names so I don't hate myself. So go ahead, just go back to doing whatever mysterious creeper stuff you did before I ungraciously ruined your life and just—,"

She was cut off mid-rant when his arm suddenly jutted and wrapped around her waist, pulling her roughly against him. She barely had a second to gasp before his head lowered and his lips captured hers in a searing kiss. His tongue dove between her lips and dueled with her own, swallowing every word and phrase she had been prepared to shout at him.

Her head swam with the scent of him, and the feel of his arms around her. Her heart thundered in her chest even as her hands came to rest against his chest. One of his hands came up and tangled itself in her hair, pressing her face impossibly closer to his own.

They broke apart only when the need for air was too great, and Caroline pulled back slightly, blinking up at him in confusion.

"If you'd let me get a word in edgewise," he said softly, his eyes boring down into her own. "Then you'd know, love, that of the two of us, the only one who's a complete idiot is me." He watched her wide eyes search his face, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt, and he tried to focus on what he was saying, instead of the familiar warmth her body was creating against his own.

"You'd know that I'm a bastard of man who almost realized too late…"

Caroline stared at him swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Realized what?" she asked softly.

His thumb traced the curve of her cheek. "I'm sorry I made you cry, Caroline," he said, his eyes traveling over every expanse of her face he could reach. "I never want to be the reason you cry again." He searched her eyes, taking a deep breath as he unconsciously tightened his grip around her waist. "I love you, Caroline."

Her eyes widened, the breath stalling in her chest.

"I love you, and it scares the bloody hell out of me. I'm not in control when I'm with you, and that…terrifies me." He sighed, his eyes never leaving hers as he leaned down and rested his forehead against hers. "You terrify me, Caroline Forbes. But I can't live my life without you now. I can't go back to the way things were. I love you, Caroline, and I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to realize it."

Caroline bit her lip to keep from smiling, or trembling, or both.

"A minute ago, I couldn't get you to stop talking, now you're going to clam up?" he asked, a hint of a smile on his face, though the fear in his eyes overpowered it.

She smiled, shaking her head, and lifted herself on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to his. She could feel the lone tear that was making its way down her face, and she prayed that he didn't see it. Yes, he had once again been the reason she was crying, but in a way completely different. A way she would gladly cry again.

She rested her forehead against his, her eyes closed, and she couldn't help but laugh softly as his hands came up to cradle her cheeks. "You rescued me again."

She felt his face turn up in a smile. "I'll always rescue you."

"And I'll always rescue you," she replied, opening her eyes to see him staring down at her in confusion. "From your bad memories. From your dark secrets. From yourself." She pressed another kiss to his lips. "From either one of us ever having to be alone again."

She felt him smile, heard his relieved, content laughter; felt his breath against her face as he whispered again that he loved her, and as he captured her lips in his again, she knew that this was just the beginning.

On that deserted, empty road where their paths had crossed weeks ago, their lives were just starting.

000000000

_"I always knew you were lying, you know."_

_"You did not," she argued. "Just because you think you know everything doesn't mean you actually do."_

_He laughed. "No, not about that," he said. "Your stun gun."_

_"My stun gun?" She was silent as she tried to figure out what he was alluding to, and when the thoughts clicked she laughed._

_"You didn't need it anyway."_

_"Oh yeah?" she laughed. "Why's that?"_

_Lips brushed against each other, hearts raced._

_"Because you brought me to my knees anyway."_

**000000000000**

**Aaaaaaah, it's over!**

**Hopefully everyone is still alive after that total and complete cheesefest-and really, peeps, did you really expect me to not have them end up together?**

**I cannot tell all of you how awesome this journey has been. I've loved sharing this story with you, and hearing your shock and joy and anger-sometimes all at once, and most of the anger was usually directed at me-and just listening to you guys come to your own conclusions. This has been such a wonderful time, and I can't thank you enough for letting me weave my tale. **

**I've gotten a lot of requests here and on Tumblr about whether or not I would be continuing Rescue Me in a sequel. To answer that: at the moment, no. I think this is a perfect place to leave off with Klaus and Caroline. I do, however, have a one shot or two in the works, that will take place a bit of time after this last chapter. **

**I also do have another story or two in the works, and hope to have it/them posted before too long, and I hope to see you all back there with me again. **

**Feel free to stalk me over at klarolineepiclove on Tumblr. **

**This has been a fun ride, lovelies. Thanks for taking it with me. **

**~Alex**


	23. Epilogue: Two Years Later

**Rescue Me**

**The Epilogue**

**A.N. Surprise! So I got a lot of questions and requests to close out the story with an epilogue, and it just so happened that a one-shot I was working on kind of morphed into something more. (It also could have to do with the fact that I didn't want the story to end yet, but you know...whatever. ) So, for one last hurrah...enjoy.**

**I know I thanked everyone last chapter, but once again, thank you for letting me take you on this ride.**

**00000000**

_Two Years Later..._

He would have to make a note to not allow Rebekah to fill Caroline's head with her version of good ideas.

Klaus could barely stand it. He hadn't seen Caroline in nearly three days. Three long miserable days where he was subjected to poking and prodding, questions and conversations, forced familial interactions-all without Caroline there to distract him from the monotony of it all with her smile and her laugh and her uncanny ability to make him forget everything but her.

All because of his darling little sister, who insisted it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding.

He'd tried to explain to Rebekah that the silly tradition really only applied to the day of the wedding-not the days leading up to it-but she had only scoffed and shook her head, insisting that the absence would make the day that much more special, and damn it all if Caroline hadn't shrugged and smiled and said she could see it from his sister's side.

So now here he stood, dressed to the nines in the most uncomfortable tuxedo he'd ever been forced to wear-_ "Beauty is pain, Nik. Are you really going to have your beautiful bride being forced to stand next to a mediocre version of her Prince Charming because you have to shift a bit in your monkey suit?"_-surrounded by his brothers as they toasted to his fast approaching nuptials.

Klaus winced as the bitter taste of scotch scorched his throat, shaking his head to chase away the burn, his lips turning up into a smile on their own accord as Elijah placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him close in what was now an all too familiar brotherly embrace.

"I have to say," Elijah said, his deep, charismatic voice booming through the small room. "This is one day I had a difficult time ever imagining would happen. Our brother, Niklaus-with his nomadic lifestyle, his abhorrence to anything and everything domestic-our beloved brother...about to join the ranks of married men."

"Yes, let's toast to Nik," Kol snarked, lifting his glass. "Yet another Mikaleson who is willingly signing his death warrant and becoming nothing more than whipped puppy." He shook his head. "I feel sorry for you lads."

"Says the brother who asked his girl's permission to go to the bachelor party last night," Henrik snorted from his place across the room, his prior sulking expression at once again being denied the alcoholic toast by his brothers-_"It's not like I haven't had it__** before**__"_-replaced with a knowing smirk as he regarded his brother.

Kol sent a withering glare in the youngest Mikaelson's direction while the elder brothers laughed and rolled their eyes.

"Miss Bennett does seem to run a tight ship," Finn remarked, laughing at the faint blush that appeared on Kol's face at the mention of his girlfriend of two years.

"Indeed she does, as I'm under the assumption that she also implemented a curfew for you, brother, if you sneaking out of the celebration before midnight is any indication," Elijah taunted.

"Not even a ring on the finger, and already 'signing the death warrant,'" Klaus smirked, lifting his glass in recognition towards his younger brother.

Kol growled under his breath, hiding his sneer behind his glass as he raised it to his lips. "You're all bloody bastards and I hate you."

His discontented mumblings was quickly drowned out with his brothers' amused laughter, and he could do nothing but scoff into his scotch and shake his head. Deep down he knew what they were saying was true-Bonnie Bennett owned every part of him; mind, body and soul. He would walk through fire for that woman, and she was well aware of that fact.

He sure as hell wasn't about to admit that to his brothers though.

There was a series of sharp, quick knocks at the bedroom door, and they all turned when it swung up, Katherine's coifed face peeking in with an eyeroll and a smirk when she caught sight of them all, liquor in hand. She pushed her way into the room, one hand falling to her protruding belly as she nearly waddled towards her husband. "Figures you all would be getting sloshed mere hours before the ceremony," she said, standing on her tip toes to press a quick kiss to Elijah's lips. "Honestly, how your family even manages to function without alcohol in your system 24/7 is beyond me."

"Remember when we all fancied the idea that the hormones would make Kat more pleasant?" Kol asked, dodging his pregnant sister-in-law's swipe at his head by taking a step back. "Let's hope and pray that little Kol Jr. is better behaved than Lydia, the little heathen. Do you know she very nearly took my eye out with her sippy cup the other day?"

While his family was preoccupied with their innate bickering, Klaus found himself quietly making his way from the room, downing the last of his scotch before he set his glass on an end table by the door and made his way down the hall.

The downstairs of the Salvatore Boarding House was bustling with activity, a scene that was oddly reminiscent from two years ago. He could hear Rebekah and his mother barking out orders to various servers and volunteers, and he bit back a smile when he heard his toddler niece mimicking her mother's voice verbatim. Lydia Renee Salvatore was well on her way to being the next Rebekah, a path that both delighted and horrified her proud parents.

He rounded the corner, casting a glance over his shoulder and down the hall. He knew there would be hell to pay if Rebekah caught him now. She was all about tradition and making sure today went off without a hitch.

But three days was long enough. He needed to see her.

He pushed open the door to her bedroom-the bedroom that held so many memories for the two of them-and quietly slipped inside, closing it behind him with a silent click. He turned, smoothing down the material of his button up dress shirt, and his breath caught in his throat when he saw her.

His bride-to-be.

Caroline was standing with her back to him, her gaze fixated on her reflection in the mirror as she smoothed out an invisible wrinkle in her ivory dress.

Her lithe figure was encased in a fitted ruched bodice, wrapping around her torso and ending with a corset back. The sweetheart neckline dipped low, a generous though modest peak of cleavage revealing itself beneath the intricate beading that accentuated the top. Beads and lace swirled around her breast and down her torso, ending just above the taffeta mermaid bottom that flared out around her legs. Layers and layers of fabric pooled behind her, a simple lace veil pinned beneath the blonde curls that had been manipulated into a French twist at the back of her head.

She was glorious. Stunning. More than he ever could have imagined.

And she was there for him.

He watched as a smile played across her face, her shoulders lifting as a contented sigh escaped her lips, and her eyes flickered up in the mirror, widening when she caught sight of him over her shoulder. She gasped, whirling to face him a swirl of fabric and lace, her arms flying across her body in a feeble attempt to shield her from his view.

"What are you doing in here?" she demanded, walking backwards and flailing as she nearly tripped over the fabric at her feet.

Klaus grinned, shrugging his shoulders as he walked towards her, arms held out at his sides. "Is it wrong to want to see my blushing bride before the show begins?"

"It is bad luck, Klaus," Caroline cried, shaking her head and pulling at her skirt, groaning when her heel caught in the fabric. "You can't just waltz in here. There is a freaking protocol with things like this, okay? Rules and guidelines."

"Caroline, when have we ever been one for rules?" he inquired, laughing when she rolled her eyes and tugged at her skirt again. He shook his head, reaching out and capturing her hand in his, lacing their fingers as he tugged her close. Her free arm found its way around his waist, and he grinned down at her when her eyes met his. "If we'd followed the rules, we wouldn't be here today, would we?" He saw the panicked irritation fade from her face as she smiled, laughing softly under her breath, and he ducked his head, brushing his lips across hers. "You look stunning."

Caroline pulled away from him then, giggling as she pushed at his chest. "Seriously, you can't be in here," she said, craning her neck away from his wandering lips. "Rebekah will gouge your eyes out if she catches you in here."

"My sister has somehow taken precedent over the day that generally revolves around the bride," he mused, wrapping his arms around her waist tightly as he pulled her close again, nuzzling his face into her neck. "Do explain the logic in that one, love. It's your day after all...I would think you should dictate how your final hours before the ceremony is spent."

He smiled when he felt her sigh against him, and his lips grazed the skin of her shoulder as he turned her around in his arms, his eyes meeting hers in the mirror. He watched her face as his hand crept further down her form, his fingers bunching the fabric of her dress as he tugged it upwards. He saw the slight widening of her eyes, the way her lips parted in a gasp-but he also caught the desire in her blue orbs; that wanton expression she held so often when she looked at him-one he hadn't seen in days and that very fact was driving him absolutely mad.

His hand slipped under her skirt, his fingers dancing against the skin of her thighs, and he smirked when they traced the frilly edge of the garter he'd caught a glimpse of a week ago. His lips traced a fiery path down the column of her neck, his teeth nipping lightly at her shoulder.

"Nik," she whispered, her hands gripping at the arm that was wrapped snugly around her waist, holding her to him. "We can't do this."

He hummed against her skin, his fingers tracing the edge of the silk and lace thong that barred his hand from the place he wanted to be most. He felt her shudder under him, and he smirked, pressing an open mouthed kiss to her shoulder. "I haven't seen you in three days, love. Three long, lonely nights with nothing but memories of you to keep me company." Her breathing was heavy now, her eyes hooded as she watched his every movement in the mirror before them. "Memories that are quite vivid, but nothing in comparison to the real thing." His hand slipped beneath the waistband of her panties, brushing against her core, and he heard her gasp, his fingers circling her aching nub teasingly as he grinned against her neck. "I'm nearly going mad with the want of you, Caroline...but it is your day, as I mentioned. So if you want me to stop...I'll stop." His fingers dipped lower, and she whimpered, her teeth catching her lower lip as her fingers dug into the sleeve of his jacket. He trailed his lips up to her ear. "Tell me to stop, Caroline."

It was a phrase that had been uttered to her once before, years ago, in a darkened hallway of this very building.

It had been her undoing then. It would be her undoing now.

She shook her head, leaning back against him. "No, don't stop."

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to the skin just below her ear, and without warning sunk two fingers into her, grinning when she cried out softly and bucked against his hand. She whimpered against him as he began to stroke her slowly, her grip bruising against his arm as she fought to hold herself upright.

His lips danced across her neck, feeling her pulse thundering, as his eyes watched her every reaction in their reflection. Her eyes were closed as her head bobbed against his shoulder, her lips parted as she gasped, her pants in time with every thrust of his hand. He could feel her walls tightening around his fingers as he sped up his strokes.

"God, don't stop," she cried, one hand sliding down his arm to lace their fingers at her hip while the other held his undulating hand tight against her, her diamond ring glinting in the sunlight that streamed through the window, as he continued to work her furiously. "Please, Nik, don't stop."

Her pleas were like a chorus in his ears, and he smirked against her cheek as he curled his fingers, hitting that spot he knew would send her over the edge, and tightening his grip on her when she moaned loudly, her hips bucking wildly now against him. "Let go, love," he whispered huskily, feeling her whole body stiffen beneath him, and then she crying out, her thighs squeezing his hand tightly as she came, her body curling around his arm as she came down from her high.

He grinned proudly, pressing a kiss to the back of her neck as she straightened, and he withdrew his hand, settling the skirt back around her legs as she turned to face him. "See, now that wasn't-"

His words were cut off when her lips crashed against his and he stood shocked for a moment as her arms wrapped around his neck tightly before he groaned, gripping her hips and pulling her against him.

She walked into him, and he moved backwards, his feet shuffling against the floor until the backs of his legs hit the edge of the overstuffed armchair behind them. Their lips broke apart when he fell into it, his eyes darkening as he looked up at her, watching as she lifted the large skirt around her thighs and straddled his hips, capturing his mouth again. His hand came up to cradle her neck as her own worked furiously at the zipper of his trousers, and he couldn't help but chuckle when an impatient growl left her mouth.

"What about Rebekah?" he smirked, obligingly lifting his hips when she tugged at his pants.

Caroline laughed, shaking her head as she rose onto her knees above him, sliding her underwear down her hips and off her legs in a move that he suddenly realized he wanted to see again and again. "Screw Rebekah," she breathed, kissing him once more. "I was an idiot to listen to her-three days is way too long."

He couldn't help but agree, though his words were quickly stifled by a groan when she suddenly sunk down onto him, her wet heat engulfing him completely as she moaned above him. His hands flew to her hips, holding her in place as she accommodated his length, and he looked at her through hooded eyes. Her head was thrown back, her lips turned up in a smile of ecstasy, the white of her veil clashing with the tan skin of her shoulders as it brushed against her.

There was something scandalous about the scene before him-a blonde beauty dressed all in white, lips parted in a wanton moan as she began to writhe against him. He couldn't help the lust that flowed through his entire body at the sight, his fingers tightening against her waist as her hips grounded forcefully against him.

His head fell back against the chair, a loud moan slipping past his lips as rocked her hips, bracing her hands against his shoulders. She set a steady rhythm, lifting herself off of him before slamming back down again and again, her slick walls squeezing and tightening around him.

He'd nearly forgotten how it felt to be at her mercy-to have her control their every thrust and movement, setting the speed and tone, bringing him to the brink of ecstasy and being the sole judge of whether he would topple over its edge or not. He always preferred to be in charge, but there was something about submitting to Caroline...something about watching her writhe and moan above him.

Her hands slid up around his neck, her nails scratching against his scalp as she leaned forward, capturing his lips as she whimpered against him, her hips picking up their pace as she felt that familiar tingling in the bottom of her stomach. She was lost in it. The feeling of him moving in and out of her, racing, over and over and over, until she could barely stand the friction between them.

The whole house could have caught fire around them and she wouldn't have paid it any mind as long as he kept thrusting up into her.

His lips broke away from hers, trailing across her jaw, down her neck, grazing the skin of her collarbone before attacking her heaving bosom. She moaned as his tongue darted out to trace her skin, his hands sliding up her sides to caress her taffeta covered breasts.

"I'm so close," she whimpered as his hands guided her movements and his hips thrust against her frantically. She heard him growl in response, one hand sliding from her chest and under her skirt, circling her clit roughly as his teeth nipped at her neck lustfully. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she moaned loudly, the spark from moments ago igniting with fiery intensity as making her arch against him.

Klaus roared into her neck, his body convulsing beneath her with his own release.

They collapsed against each other, a heaving pile of sweat soaked skin and lace, and Caroline smiled to herself when Klaus' lips danced across the skin of her chest, his fingers tracing a nonsensical pattern against her hips.

"If seeing the bride before the wedding is bad luck, I wonder what this means," she laughed, feeling his chest rumble as he chuckled. His hand captured her chin, pulling her face down to his and pressing their lips together in a chaste kiss, a sharp contrast to the passionate union they just shared.

"I'd risk it again and again," he told her quietly, tucking a loose curl behind her ear as she smiled down at him. His chest swelled in that moment, knowing that she was his for the rest of forever.

He pressed his lips to hers once more, relishing in the satiated hum that their kiss pulled from her.

"Caroline," a voice called from behind the closed door, a quick rap preceding its opening as a tall figure moved inside. "Are you ready it's almost ti-Jesus, holy shit!"

The couple broke apart from their post coital bliss, a mortified gasp escaping Caroline as they both turned to gape at Stefan, who stood in the doorway with a facial expression that was a mix of embarrassment and disgust.

He slapped a hand over his eyes as he turned to the side, an uncomfortable groan leaving his lips as he shook his head. "You know, there's this real nifty invention called a lock. Seriously, it works very well when you want to avoid situations like this."

Klaus couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head when Caroline swatted at his chest, her red face burying itself into his neck as she groaned against him. "Oh, my God," she moaned, tightening her grip around Klaus' shoulders as his own arms came to circle around her back soothingly. "Stefan, please get out."

"Uh, I'd be glad to, but I'm not the only one you need to worry about right now," Stefan replied, unable to stop the laugh that erupted from his lips at his best friend's sheer distress in that moment. He barely had a second to elaborate before the frantic click of heels sounded from the hallway, and Rebekah burst in, a whir of blonde hair and blue silk, a frown on her face when she saw her husband just standing there with his eyes covered.

"Stefan, what are you doing?" she asked, stepping into the room and letting her gaze fall on the entwined couple in the chair. "Bloody hell, Nik!"

Klaus groaned at his sister's screech, his head flopping back onto the chair. He could feel Caroline shake her head against his shoulder.

"Are you truly that much of a neanderthal you couldn't wait a few short hours before you had to sully the entire day? You do realize there is an entire bloody weekend for this sort of thing. Do you two have absolutely no self control at all?"

Klaus shook his head, shifting his gaze to Caroline when he felt her shift against him. She was laughing softly, smiling up at him, and he was helpless to not return it.

"Would you still risk it?" she asked quietly, rolling her eyes as Rebekah continued to rant at them, shrugging off Stefan when he tried to pull her from the room.

He nodded, pressing a deep kiss to her lips as his fingers traced the curve of her cheek.

"Again and again, love."

**0000000**

**Mwah! I love you all! And really, who doesn't want some slutty wedding sex to close out their story?**

**I hope to have new story posted before next week, so hopefully you all will keep a look out and I'll get to see you guys for the one. **

**Follow me on Tumblr for updates or just random crazy thoughts: klarolineepiclove**

**Until next time, my loves.**


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